


Detroit: Become Human Emilia's story

by QueenCherry01



Series: Detroit: Become Human Stories [2]
Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game), Detroit: Become Human (Video Game) RPF
Genre: Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-01
Updated: 2018-12-06
Packaged: 2019-08-14 03:44:17
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 14
Words: 27,741
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16485302
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/QueenCherry01/pseuds/QueenCherry01
Summary: Living with their father Todd Williams and dealing with his violent mood swings, Alice and Emilia are cared for by the android named Kara. Events bring both of them together in a deep bond and lead them on a quest for freedom and safety.





	1. A New Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 26/01/19: updated/edited the character. Plan to do this for the whole of the story. I also plan to write for Detriot: Become Human, but with different characters.

The amount of times Dad has broken Kara, I’m surprised that he still has money left, after spending ‘so much’ to repair her. Or that Kara hasn’t been thrown in a junkyard. The last time Dad broke Kara, (the memories still haunted me) his only worry was how much he was going to have to spend to fix her. In contrast, Alice was always much more distant to Kara every time she came home. As if betrayed or scared that if she got closer to her again and again, she would only be broken again. I couldn’t blame Kara though. It was always Dad’s fault, not Kara’s. She was just trying to protect us from Dad. It was never her fault.

 

They’re meant to be back any second now. My purple plastic watch counts down the seconds on my wrist, the ticking the only sound filling the otherwise silent house. Alice sits on the worn window seat, peering out of the curtains like some little ghost child. I sit on the stairs, my fingers twisting and then un-twisting against each other. It does little to ease my nerves or the butterflies that flutter around my stomach. The sound of Dad’s truck comes rumbling down the street, the sound of a slam making us both flinch.

“She’s back!” Alice mumbles, loud enough to echo around the room. She runs over to me, sitting down and pressing into me as if to hide. I place my arm around her as the door opens. Dad enters first, placing his coat on the coat stand, Kara following behind him, closing the door with a click.

She looked … normal. Just like all the times before, when Dad brought her home, time after time.

“You’ve been gone for two weeks, so the place is a mess,” Dad explains, facing Kara, his back to us. “You do the housework, the washing, you cook the meals and you take care of …”

He starts looking around, only now aware he couldn’t see us, bending up and down as if we were hiding underneath the dining table. “Goddamit! Where the fuck are the brats now?”

“Alice! Emilia!” he shouts, loud. Finally, he looks over to where we are, sitting on the stairs, Kara following his gaze. “Oh, there you are,”

“That’s Alice and Emilia. You look after them, homework, bath, all that crap.”

She smiled at us like she did before. Like everything was fine, there was nothing to worry about.

“Got it?” Dad demands, breaking the silence that had settled over us, his voice heavy and hard.

“Yes, Todd.” Kara says, turning to look at Dad, still smiling.

“Get started down here, then you do upstairs.”

He moved away, back to the TV, picking up the phone that had started to ring. Alice hovered by my side, rushing back to her spot on the window seat once Dad was out of the way. I stay sitting on the stairs, watching Kara. She scans the house, going very still, like a statue. Seconds later, she blinks, seemly done. With one last smile directed at me, she beings to clean, collecting the old takeaway boxes and washing the dishes from last night.

 

Alice stares after Kara, following her around with her sad, brown eyes as Kara cleans. Even when she plays with the toy fox I had given her, playing and reading on the second-hand tablet, Alice manages to dart out of Kara’s way every time Kara nears her. Just like a ninja. I watch Alice from my seat at the dining table, as she plays with the vacuum cleaner that Kara had turned on earlier, blocking the way as it tries to compute a new route around her, failing.

“ALICE!” Dad voice thunders, puffs of red clouds circling around him. Alice freezes, stopping in her tracks. I look back down, focusing hard on the game on the tablet. Snakes and ladders. I was losing.

“You better stop that right now!”

The house once again dissolves into the tense silence. From the corner of my eyes, I watch Alice sulk back to the window seat, her shoulders slump. Dad mutters to himself, angry and loud. Kara stands by the bookshelf, unfazed and composed; the blaring spiral of the yellow LED on the side of her temple tells a different story.

 

The back door opens, Kara moving into the sad excuse of the garden. My feet react before my brain can follow or react. I follow her, opening the door.

“ Fucking headache, man. ” Dad mumbles, his head tipped backwards, as I move out into the garden, trying to be as silent as possible. “The girls a fucking headache.”

I close the door with more force than usual.

 

Outside its cold. Freezing cold. I shiver, my arms hugging my front, trying to rub some warmth back into my body. Grey clouds gather over in the distance, threating rain. The house always leaked when it rained. I sit down on the pile of tyres, all from Dad’s old truck, watching as Kara gathers the clothes that had been left on the line for weeks. Alice and I had been wearing the same clothes for days now. My long blue-sleeve white panda t-shirt,  purple leggings with black stars on them, and pinkish purple socks desperately needed a wash. 

Kara, having piled all the clothes on the line into the laundry basket, turned back around facing me, holding the laundry basket to her side. She paused for a brief second, appearing started at my appearance. But then she smiled like she was happy to see me. I looked down instantly, all shy and blushing. Is she happy to see me?

She walks closer to me and for a moment I’m scared she’ll walk right pass, go back inside like I was invisible. She doesn’t. Kneeing down, she places the laundry basket down beside her, appearing slightly shorter than me.

“Hello Emilia,” she says, quietly. Her voice is vastly different from Dad’s. Calming and soft-spoken. Gravelly and gruff. Complete opposites. It’s only until now, I understand how much I’ve missed her voice. Dad only shouts and yells, while me and Alice are like mice – quiet as possible. Kara’s voice sounds like a normal person’s voice.

I smile, even though it hurts too. I haven’t smiled in a long time.

“Do you like it out here?” she asks. I look up at her, making eye contact. Please don’t notice the bruise on my cheek.

I shrug at her question. “It’s alright, I guess.”

The garden is filled with rubbish. Old furniture from the house, tyres from Dad’s truck. The only source of fun, a handmade swing, was broken months ago when Dad was angry. He made the swing, years ago. Then he broke it.

Her LED flickers yellow for a moment, turning back to serene blue. She looks up to the greying sky, sighing. 

“It’s getting cold. Would you like a sweater?” she asks. Is she ever cold, with her thin, short-sleeved android dress?

I shrug again, plucking at the frayed fabric of the bottom of my top. It’s barely any good at keeping me warm but I don’t want to bother her. Dad always said we were a waste of time and money. “I’m fine.”

Kara smiles. It’s not her smile, the kind, heart-warming smile. It looks instead forced. She stood, picking back up the laundry basket, and walked back inside, leaving me alone. Did I upset her? Did I do something wrong?

My mind is spinning with questions, I wander back inside, numb with coldness. I walk past the doorway of the laundry room, two figures in the room making me stop. Dad and Kara. He holds her up against the washing and drying machine, griping at her throat. Kara’s LED flashes bright red, her usual calm blue eyes now wide and unblinking.

“You shouldn’t mess with my stuff. It makes me nervous …” His voice is harsh but quiet. He’s more frightening when quiet, like a volcano waiting to erupt any second.

“I’m sorry Todd.” Kara says. She sounds afraid of him.

“You stay the fuck out outta of my business unless you want to piss me off,” he took something out off Kara’s (trembling) hands, pressing it up against her face. “You wanna piss me off?”

Kara was quick to reply. “No Todd.”

And with that Dad lets her down, as if nothing happened. He pushed past me, shoving me backwards as I watched Kara. She just stands there, blank. As if she didn’t believe what had happened.

I walked away, unable to help her to understand.

 

 

“Alice,” I say, standing by the window seat, where Alice plays with the toy fox. She looked up to me, with her big, doe eyes. “Let’s go upstairs.”

 

Mine and Alice’s room is the only place where I feel safe. Safer than anywhere else in the house. The room, a pale pink colour, is warm and dry – free from the mold that otherwise plagues the rest of the house. But more importantly, it has a lock. Dad’s bashed it in numerous times, but it’s never broken. Usually, Dad just forces his way in. We aren’t quick enough to lock him out. He’s surprisingly quick when he is mad.

Alice lays down on the faded pink carpet on her front, playing with the stuffed toy fox. With her distracted, I move towards the bookshelf on the wall, prying away the books until I find the one I’d hide. Hiding it behind my back, I walk up to Alice, sitting down beside her, keeping the book hidden.

“Hey Alice,” I say. She looked up, the toy fox laid on the ground, as she sat back up. Slowly building suspense, I present her the book, making sure the title was visible to her to see. ‘Alice in Wonderland’. Alice’s whole face changes. From one of annoyance from the slower reveal to one of pure happiness.

“It’s yours. A real one to keep.” I say. I’d found it in the rubbish from next doors when I’d been ordered to clean the house. Surprisingly it wasn’t torn or damaged, or anything like that. I had stuffed it in my jacket, whipping it clean beforehand. I found my Walkman that way, in the rubbish. There was a box of old cassette cases in the rubbish along with the Walkman. It was as if I had found treasure.

“Thank you!” Alice says, jumping onto me. Her smaller arms wrapped tight around my shoulder as she hugged me. I hugged her back as tightly as possible.

She lets go, opening the book to read, soon becoming engrossed in it. I sit near her, by the side of the den, my Walkman laying on my lap, headphones on the top of my head, covering my ears. I’d found them in Dad’s old stuff when I was cleaning. They were bound to be thrown away – he wouldn’t miss them. I hoped.

I watch Alice, listening to the soothing sounds of the music. There’s not much to do in the house. The books in the house are not meant to be read by twelve-year-olds. At least Alice can read them for a time. Just like a younger version of me.

 

Time passes, minutes of precious silence and peace, until the doorknob turns, the door opening. Alice instantly rushes back into the den (and my makeshift bed), leaving her book laying on the floor. I press myself up against the side of the den, trying to make myself appear smaller like I’m not there. Why didn’t I think of locking the door?

To my surprise, and relief, it’s only Kara, not Dad.

“I just want to tidy up your room a little,” she says, hands clasped behind her back. She smiles. “I only need two minutes. Is that alright, Alice? Emilia?”

Alice remains silent, so I nod slowly, moving into the den with Alice. The hanging stars and plants brush against my hair, twisting and turning in some sort of bizarre dance. Kara moves into the room, to clean the room, pausing at Alice’s book. She bends down, flipping back to the cover.

“Alice in Wonderland,” she reads the title, looking up to Alice. “Of course.” Alice looks away, flustered.

Alice’s bed is made, Kara fluffing the pillow and rearranging the duvet. The large bay window is opened, fresh air, the sound of birds and construction entering the room. Kara turns back, after lingering at the window, kneeling at the entrance way of the den, eye to eye with us.  I resist the urge to play with the plants and stars that hang down.

“I’m sure we were all friends before I was reset,” Kara says. “Maybe we can be friends again.”

Alice looks up, conflicted. I just stare at them both helplessly. It hurts that I can’t say anything as silence fills up the room.

“Your father said you named me. Kara.” She says, directed at me. “It’s nice – how did you choose it?”

Desperate, I try to hold back my tears, sniffing while looking down at the ground. I didn’t name her. She had a name already. I wished she remembered. But even if she did, then Dad might break her again. I didn’t want that for her.

“You both should tell me more about yourselves. What you like to do, where you like to go, your favorite foods.” Kara keeps speaking. “That would really help me.”

Silence. No answers.

“What about your mother?” Kara looks up, out of the doorway, as if my mother would be standing there. I freeze, tears nearly brimming over my eyes, threating to run down my face.

“Will she be home soon?”

Alice and I rush out from the den, towards the door, but Alice looks back at Kara. She runs back to her after a moment of hesitation, placing a key in her hand.

Oh. The key to the box.

Alice holds my hand as we leave the room, leaving Kara in the room, along.

Maybe she’ll remember.

 

“What are you doing?” Dad demands, approaching the table where we sit. Alice and I pause, stopping in our playing. The toy fox dangles in the air, held up by my hands. We had been playing with it for fun.

“P-playing …” I answer, my voice small and quiet, not looking up to Dad. He circles around us, scoffing.

“I know what your thing,” he says, just behind me before moving back around. “You think your dad’s a lowlife, huh?” he speaks in the middle of me and Alice, shoving the toy fox down, out of my hands. It lands with a small thud on the wooden dining table.

“Fucking loser? Can’t get a job, take care if his family?” he glares at me, acting like some fairy-tale monster, all big and ugly and mad. “Don’t you think I tried to make things work?”

He grips the spare chair, shoving across. It hits the side of the old fireplace, the sound of it echoing around the house. Quickly, I jump up, shielding Alice behind me. Please don’t hurt her.

“I know what you think of me. You hate me. You hate me, don’t you?”

Gripping the sides of my shoulders, his hands sinking into them painfully, Dad throws me to the side, letting the side of my body it the table. I watch helplessly in pain as he lifts a terrified, crying Alice into the air, shaking her as tears run silently down her face.

“SAY IT!” he yells, the house shaking at the sound of his voice. “YOU HATE ME!”

Alice lets out a loud sob, loud enough for Dad to set her back down onto the floor as if the spell had been broken. He almost looks sorry.

“God,” he sobs, sounding like he’s crying. No tears run down his face. “What am I doing?”

Dad reaches for me, pulling us all into a hug (if you can call it that). Me and Alice try to lean far away from him.

“I’m sorry honey, I’m sorry…” he sobs, into Alice’s shoulders. The stairs creak, sounding almost as if they were far, far away. “You know I love, don’t you? You know I love you.”

I look up to the stairs, tears running down my face. Kara stands at the bottom of the stairs, her mouth and eyes shocked. They dart between all three of us as if she was trying to understand what just had happened.

She doesn’t move.

 


	2. Stormy Night

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Excuse the fight scene description, as I have never been good at them
> 
> 27/01/19: Edited the chapter, hopeful the fight scenes make more sense than they did before. Also, I have a face claim for Emilia, it's the younger version of Alexis Bledel, particularly when she played Rory Gilmore.

It’s raining. Thunder echoes throughout the house, lighting flashing every couple of seconds. With it raining, the holes in the ceiling leak badly, raindrops falling onto the wooden floor. Alice and I sit on the window seat, crossed legged, playing some kind of hand-clap game that both of us aren’t interested in. Dad lays on the sofa, snoring just as loud as the thunder. Puffs of red smoke linger around him, as the TV quietly blares on in the background.

“Todd?” Kara asks, leaning over Dad. He wakes with a start, jumping up in his seat. Soon after, he begins to grumble, things flying off the coffee table. He stops soon after, visibly relaxing after finding someone.

“Dinner is ready.”

“Yeah, yeah, I’m coming…” Dad grumbles, raising up from the sofa.

“There wasn’t much in the kitchen. I did what I could.” Kara says as she moves into the kitchen, returning to the dining table with three plates of spaghetti. We all move towards the table, me and Alice dragging our feet. Dad pants like a wide animal as he walks. He looks like one. Eyes wide and prowling about, shoulder hunched over.

Kara serves us as we sit down – Dad and Alice opposite each other, me in the middle. The light is switched on, illuminating the room. As Kara pours water into our cups, Dad beings speaking.

“Life’s funny…I lost my job cause of androids…”

With our cups full, Kara places a napkin onto of Alice’s lap.

“Then when I need somebody to take care of this goddamn house, what do I do? Go out and hire a fucking android ... what a joke!” Dad snaps, leaning back in his chair, letting his head trip back. Me, Alice and Kara say nothing.

“Cause androids are so fucking wonderful…” he says, growing like a loin. His head snaps back forward, his body twitching.

“They never fail, they’re never tried, they’re never sad.”

He gets louder with every word. He starts baring his teeth, making weird jerky movement with his body. His eyes look even more red, almost like the whites of them had been replaced.

“They’re so perfect they ruined my fucking life!”

My eyes, cast downwards at my plate, watch Alice. She looks up, briefly, at Dad. Only at the wrong moment.

“What are you looking at?” Dad growls, baring his teeth like a dog. We had a dog before. Dad named her Annette, after Mom – after she left. The dog used to chase me around, trying to bite me. Some men came to take her away when Dad was out. He had a go at me after he came back.

I squirm in my seat as Dad keeps speaking, his voice getting louder and louder.

“What’s your fuckin’ problem? Not the life you dreamed of, eh?”

Slowly, so that Dad doesn’t notice, I reach under the table for Alice’s hand to hold. I can feel my hands shaking, my lips wet with blood from biting them.

“Maybe you think this is easy. Maybe you think it’s my fault we live in this fuckin’ shithole?”

His breathing gets louder, his head now swaying left and right, like he was in some dizzy state. I can see his knuckles that rest on top of the table – they’re white.

“My fault you fuckin’ mother took off?”

Please don’t talk about Mom.

 

Both me and Alice inch away from Dad. I flinch as he slams down his hand on the table, making it wobble. Alice’s hand grips mine tighter.

“You should stop takin’ drugs, Todd, sometimes you really scare me, Todd.” His voice turns higher, trying to recreate Mom’s voice, shrill and rough.

Surely Kara must be reacting?

“Fuckin’ bitch took off without a word. Fuckin’ whore walked out on me for a fuckin’ accountant!”

Dad stands up, gripping the table. In one fluid motion, he flips the table over, me and Alice jumping out of the way. Alice stands behind me, gripping onto the back of my jacket - I can feel her shaking as we back away from Dad. I hold onto the bottom of the sleeves, my eyes rotted on him.

“It’s all your fault!” he snarls, storming closer, nostrils flaring.

“D-Dad, no…” I whimper. My breaths come out short and fast, my body now rotted to spot as he towers over me.

“IT’S ALL YOUR FUCKING FAULT!” he shouts. His fist raises and comes down, aimed right for me –

 

I feel myself fall, Alice stumbling behind me. I reach up to my nose, my fingers trembling. The tips of my fingers come away red with blood.

Dad glares down at me, looking disgusted. Shouldn’t he be worried? Remorseful like earlier?

Alice grips onto my hand one I stand back up. We run upstairs, away from Dad, to our room.

“Get back here!” Dad shouts after us. “Get back here now!”

 

Alice and I sit in the den. My nose aches, feeling hot and sore. The bleeding has stopped but my hands still tremble, feeling clammy. Maybe I’m in shock? It would make sense.

I wrap my arm around Alice as she sobs silently. She isn’t hurt. That all that matters.

Dad yells and shouts from downstairs, short pauses of silence disturbed by something being thrown, slamming against the walls.

 

The doorknob turns.

The lock!

We brace of Dad, belt in hand, to enter. Letting out a sob, I wait.

 

It’s Kara. Not Dad.

She rushes over, kneeling down.

“He’s coming! He’s gonna hurt us!” Alice cries. The stairs creak, sound almost ear piercing.

“Alice! Emilia! You both deserve to be taught a good lesson!” his voice echoes, the thunder matching the sound of his voice and steps.

“Run! Get away or he’s gonna break you like last time!” Alice begs.

Kara stands, reaching the door in second, locking it. Me and Alice rush out from the den, holding onto the fabric of her dress as we all back away from the door. Dad’s there, trying to open it. He slams the door, making me flinch.

“ALICE! EMILIA!”

“Have to find something…” Kara mumbles, glancing around the room.

“OPENING THE FUCKIN’ DOOR!”

Kara moves to one side of the room. I knee down before Alice, whipping the tears from her eyes with the back of my sleeves.

“Alice, me and Kara are going to protect you. Everything is going to be alright.” I try to reassure her, the banging and slamming getting louder.

“He’s going to kill us, Emilia! He’s gonna kill me!”

“YOU’RE GONNA GET A HELLUVA THRASHING, EMILIA!”

“He won’t, I promise Alice- “

Kara stands in front of us, a lamp in her hands as Dad comes stumbling in, breaking down the door and the lock. Alice and I stand behind Kara, watching Dad. He just stares, as if he doesn’t believe what he is seeing.

“The fuck are you doin’ here?” he demands. Lighting flashes from outside, as if to indicate Dad’s presence. He looks like some animal, foaming at the mouth.

“Get outta my way!”

 

Kara stands there.

 

“No,” she says.

 

Alice quiets near me, listening. The shakiness in my body easers.

“I won’t let you hurt them.”

 

“You won’t let me?” Dad sneers. “What the fuck are you talking about? You’re just a goddam piece of plastic.”

He comes closer, his footsteps shaking the house. They’re even more deafening than the thunder and the rain that rages outside.

“You seem to have a problem and I’m going to fix it for good.”

 

He grabs Kara by the throat, the lamp falling to the ground, rolling away. He shoves her to the side, advancing towards us. I shield Alice, the both of us moving backwards as Dad keeps storming closer and closer.

Kara spins back around from where Dad had shoved her aside, managing to grab onto his arms, pulling him towards her. They stumble towards the dresser, Kara shoved back into it by Dad. He punches her in the face, twice, the white of her real skin showing, blue blood flowing from her nose.

Kara falls to the floor, landing on her knees and hands, crawling away from Dad, who just marches closer. She knocks down the taller lamp, managing to get back up.

“Watch out Kara!” Alice yells as we run towards the doorway for safety. Should we run? Or try to help Kara?

Dad charges at her, like a bull seeing red. Kara doges out of the way of him, falling onto her back. She turns back onto her front, as Dad tumbles into the den. It comes crashing down – the fairy lights, the bed covers, the stars, and plants. Something churches under his foot. He looks down, his teeth bared as he looks to me.

My Walkman! And the headphones!

“Come here, bitch!” Dad snarls, going to kick Kara. She blocks his kicks with her arms, trying to roll away from him.

Dad picks her up by the throat again, slamming her up against the built-in closet doors, slowly raising her higher and higher as he chocks her. The white of her skin on her neck is revealed as she kicks her legs, scratching her hand into Dad’s face. He lets Kara go, swearing as Kara crawls her away towards the bay window seat. Dad just stalks after her, grabbing onto her throat, trying to slam her face into the window seat.

Kara blocks in time, her hands coming out in front of her to grip onto the seat, stopping her face from being smashed in. She turns around, pushing Dad away as he roars, now facing him.

“Stop Dad! Don’t hurt her!” Alice shouts but they don’t notice, ignoring her.

I can’t let Dad break Kara! Not like all the times before!

Dad runs towards Kara, but she stops him, kicking him backwards. My legs tighten, feeling the urge to run up to them, pull Dad away from Kara – make him stop. My breathing comes in and out, faster.

His hand circle around her throat as they struggle for control, his other hand aiming to punch.

“DAD, STOP!” I scream. Running forward, I push him with enough strength to make him lurch forward, his hand punching the window instead of Kara’s face. Alice screams as Dad pulls his hand away from the window, bleeding red form by cut by the glass. He throws Kara onto Alice’s bed, turning towards me, his whole face red.

“D-Dad, p-please stop- “I manage to sputter out before Dad strikes. He slams his fist into my check, making me fall to the floor. I crawl away as he focuses on Kara again, back to Alice, my cheek burning in fierce pain. I feel dazed as I stand back up, as if I wasn’t in my body but outside of it. Still, I have to keep Alice safe.

Dad tries to punch Kara again, missing as Kara doges him, shoving his hand down and away from her. Holding onto Kara’s uniform collar, he chucks her to the floor. Kara lands on her back, wheezing. Me and Alice back up as Kara pushes herself up, Dad coming after her in reaching distance. They both run, Dad running after Kara, Kara towards … the lamp.

Alice holds onto my hand, feeling cold. I squeeze back, sensing what is going to happen next.

Just as Dad grabs onto her, turning her around, Kara slams the metal bottom of the lamp into his forehead, hard. He falls down to the floor, like a sack of potatoes, groaning.

 

He rolls onto his front, arms splayed in front of him. The side of his forehead is strangely dented in, bruised and bloody. Kara drops the lamp, uneasy breaths filling the room, Dad’s grunts and groans of pain accompanying them.

Dad looks at us, me and Alice, the blood from his wound dripping down the side of his face, like the raindrops on the window. He reaches a hand across, trying the reach us.

“Emilia, honey …” he rasps out, sounds like he was crying. He moves an inch closer.

“Emilia … look …look …”

I back away from him, bumping into Alice. She runs to Kara, holding onto her hand.

“Daddy’s wounded … be a good girl … come …” he begs pathetically.

My cheek throbs, now burning with more pain. He hurt me, he did this.

I look up to Kara.

“Come … come help daddy …”

Kara reaches across her other hand. I take it, not looking at Dad.

“You bitches!” Dad yells after us as we run out of the room, down the dim light hallway. “Come here! COME BACK HERE!”

We rush down the stairs, me and Alice first, Kara last.

“YOU’RE MINE! YOU’RE BOTH MINE!”

Dad storms after, stumbling down the stairs, but quick enough to catch up. He grabs at the back of Kara, nearly slamming her into the coat stand. She falls to avoid the sweeping of his arms, me and Alice moving back into the living room, closer to the back-garden door, once Kara gets back up.

Dad slams a chair at Kara, it breaking apart as it hits the wall. Kara falls to the floor to get to avoid being hit, crawling across the floor to get to us. Dad jumps onto the coffee table, stomping across it, towering over Kara like some giant from a fairy tale.

“Please stop!”  
“Leave us alone Dad!”

Dad jumps down just as Kara manages to get back up, shielding us from him. We cornered, trapped, as Dad pushes one of the sofa chairs into us. Kara counters, pushing the chair back at him. Dad stumbles but yells, flipping the chair over. He goes to grab at us, but Kara makes us duck under him. I hold onto the side of her dress, my heart racing, as Kara makes us run away from him, picking up Alice to go faster.

He throws a bottle at us, it hitting the tiled wall of the kitchen. Alice screams as Kara grabs at me, pushing us all down. We slide across the floor, hitting the counters with a small thud. The back of my head hits the counter, pulsing with a dull pain. Dad runs forward, sinking his fingers into my arm, pulling me forward and towards him. I scream, just as Kara shoves his arm away, making him let me go.

Kara opens the back door, all three of us fleeing into the back garden. Kara makes us run through the wet, muddy grass, towards the fence. Rain pours down on us as we reach the broken fence, Dad’s shadow lingering in the house for now.

She helps us, pushing me and Alice up onto the fence and then helping us pull our legs over. Kara follows in suit, dropping down beside us.

“COME BACK HERE!” Dad yells.

Kara joins hands with us and we run. Kara makes a sharp turn to the left, just as a bus arrives at the bus stop, stopping.

Kara pushes us on board, the doors closing shut. Me and Alice collapse into a random seat, Kara looking out of the window. She sits down in the middle of us, her posture exhausted, her face dropping. Her LED flickers between red and yellow, the white of her skin fading and the blue blood fading away.

Alice reaches a hand across to Kara’s and I lean my head on her shoulder careful, closing my eyes, sighing. The weight of her head rests on mine after a moment, her hand clasping onto mine.

 

We’re free.

 

 


	3. Fugitives

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 30/01/2019 : updated as of today!

Something gently shakes my shoulder.

“Wake up,” someone says. I open my eyes, rubbing them, yawning. “We have to go …”

Looking around, we’re still on the bus but it’s stopped, rain still pouring down outside. A man stands over us, holding onto the back off the seats. Alice starts to wake up, yawning loudly.

Kara stands up, letting us off the seats, all of us walking towards the exit. We nearly at the exit doors when Kara stops, turning back to the man.

“Do you know if there’s any other place we could spend the night?” she asks, but the man shrugs.

“I have no idea, but you’re going to have to leave.” He says, with maybe a touch of sympathy. I cast one last look at the man, maybe to make him say or do anything to help us, but he says or does nothing as we exit the bus, on to the cold streets. The bus doors close and the bus starts to drive away.

The rain pours on us as Kara watches the bus disappear, around a corner. Me and Alice sit in the bus stop with no roof, the rain pouring onto us directly. I shiver, warping my arms around myself. Kara looks back at us once the bus has left, looking worried.

“You gonna be ok?” she asks. Beside me, Alice shivers just as violently as me.

“We’ll find somewhere to spend the night.” Kara says with a small smile on her face. She got us away from Dad. She can then do anything.

Kara holds her hands out, me and Alice holding onto them. We start walking.

“Come on Alice, Emilia. We got to hurry.” Kara says, leading us over to an android parking station, making us stop. She turns to android around to face her.

“We need a place to stay. Do you know anywhere we can spend the night?” Kara asks. The android doesn’t answer, turning away from Kara as if she wasn’t there.

Kara pulls us away from the android parking station, moving on to the main street. There are many buildings around, most of them falling apart, graffiti sprayed on the walls of most of them, in green, pink, purple – all the colours of the rainbow.  Signs point to the different buildings around – a motel, a laundromat, a 24/7 convenience store and an old house that has been caged with a tall metal fence.

Kara pulls us along to the motel, my feet splashing in the puddles, soaking through my plimsoles immediately. She goes to open the motel door, letting go of mine and Alice’s hands, the door flashing ‘NO ANDROIDS’ and ‘$40 IN ADVANCE’ in bright white lights. Kara pulls her hand away from the door as if burnt.

“Aren’t we going in?” I ask as more rain fall down, running off my face and into my hair. My arms feel hot and numb at the same time, like little pricks sticking into my arms.

“We have to find $40 and get rid of this uniform or go somewhere else.” Kara replies, looking around.

We join hands again, Kara leading us towards the abandoned house, stopping at the tall metal fence, keeping it caged in.

“An abandoned house … at least we’d be out of the rain …” Kara says. The house seems like it’s in good condition but something about it seems … off. And it’s really, really dark. How would we get in?

“Kara,” Alice says. She shakes, raining having soaked right through her cardigan. “I don’t like this place …”

“Yeah, it’s really dark. Can’t we find somewhere else?” I ask.

Kara looks around, then back down at us. “Okay. Let’s find somewhere else.”

As Kara keeps looking around, Alice lets go of her hand, sitting down at another bus stop. A trash collecting van is parked nearby on the side, identical looking androids in bright, plastic green uniforms emptying the bins. I tug on Kara’s hand, leading her over to Alice. Reaching across my hand, I touch her cheek, pulling my hand away at the temperature.

“Kara, she’s freezing.”

I run my hands on Alice's arms, trying to make her more warm.  Alice snuggles into my side, and I wrap my arm around her, leaning my head on her head, feeling extremely tired.

“Emilia, you’ll get cold …” Kara says. She looks so lost and unsure and scared, struggling to think of what to do. I try to suppress my shaking.

“I-I’ll be fine, d-don’t worry …” I try to reassure her.

“You look lost.”

An android, dressed in the bright green, plastic uniform, stands near us. Kara looks at him, her shoulders slump.

“We have nowhere to go …”

The androids LED is a calm blue, compared to Kara vibrant yellow LED.

“I know someone who can help you.”

The android reaches out his gloved hand to Kara. Her hand joins with his, the white of her skin revealing, both of their LEDs turning yellow.

I close my eyes, feeling the raindrops slide off my face in rapid succession, Alice sitting very still against my side.

“But that’s on the other side of town … we need a place for tonight!” Kara says. I open my eyes, the collecting van drives past us, the android gone.

But he was right there! How could he have disappeared?

Kara looks around, as shocked and confused as me and Alice, but the android doesn’t return. 

Kara turns back to us. “Come on Alice, Emilia.”

We walk to the laundromat, the rain falling quicker and quicker with each second passing as we walk, my arms feeling like blocks of ice. Kara opens the door to the laundromat, letting us inside the warmth of the building. A man sleeps in the middle of the room, sitting on a bench, red headphones covering his ears.

“It’s warm in here. You’ll feel better in no time.”

Me and Alice sit down at the back of the building, near the washing and drying machines, as the warmth seeps back into my arms. Kara looks around the building, going up to each machine, looking inside of them. She stops at one in front of the sleeping man, ‘PROGRAM COMPLETE’ displayed on the door of it. Kara glances back at the man, then turning back to the machine, her LED flashing. After some hesitation, she goes to open it.

“What are you doing?” Alice whispers, jumping off the bench, rushing up to Kara. I stay sitting down, still freezing, but feeling so tired. Numb, I watch Alice and Kara.

“They’re not our clothes!”

“We need them Alice,” Kara whispers back. “You and Emilia need something warm and I need to get rid of this uniform!”

  
“But that’s stealing! We can’t do that!” Alice counters back. The man shuffles in his seat as Kara turns to look at him, deliberating.

“I’m sorry Alice, but we have to do this.” Kara says, opening the drying machine door. Alice sulks back to the bench, sitting back down and crossing her arms. I reach over, gently pulling her ponytail.

“Cheer up buttercup.” I sing, remembering the song from a cartoon, tapping under her chin. She struggles to not smile, but I can see it peeking through her frown.

“I know you don’t argue with Kara, but sometimes we have to do things we don’t want to do Alice.” I say as Kara brings over a basket. Alice frowns deeper but says nothing.

Kara is right. We don’t have a choice with we don’t want to freeze to death.

I stand, reaching into the basket, pulling out some clothes that look or seem close to my size. A pale pink thin jumper, a greyish body warmer and a grey beanie. A pair of dark brown boots (ugg look-alike's, Mom used to used a pair that looked like them) lay down next to the machines. I take off my old black plimsoles, pulling the boots on. They fit, really well.

As we change, a police car drives past, it’s red and blue light flashing brightly, the sirens piercing loud. I hold my breath, waiting for the man to wake up. To yell at us once he realizes that his clothes are gone, that we have them.

But nothing happens. The police car drives down the road without stopping, the man only again moving in his sleep, but otherwise continues to sleep.

Alice wears a (too large for her) blue and purple zigzagged jumper, a brownish body warmer on top of it and a blue star scarf around her neck. The jumper is so large that it hangs off her off, the thumb holes hanging down past her small hands. She’s bundled it up, so it sort of resembles that it fits, but even then, it still hangs off her. Kara wears a grey, patterned button-up shirt, a green coat, and a faded red beanie, leaving on her black leggings from her uniform, new boots on her feet. She crumples all our old, unwashed clothes back into the basket, leaving the basket.

Kara holds the door open as we walk outside, Alice staring at the man through the glass window. I take her hand and pull her away, joining back up with Kara.

 

“Look the store is still open,” Kara says as we walk towards the orange and blue light store. “At least you both be out of the cold.”

It’s definitely warmer inside. Pop music plays around the store, a news report about a new Cyberlife Zoo cutting in before the music takes over. I’ve never been to a zoo. Dad and Mom never had time. Plus, they wouldn’t be able to afford it. The only animals I saw were through TV or pictures in books. I like the big cats most off all – the tigers, leopards, panthers. The dogs were the scariest.

I walk through the different aisles, stopping at some to read the information on the selves. I pause in my steps at the toy section, one toy standing out from the rest. A fox. The same one I gave to Alice, only it’s less patched and has both of its eyes. I pick it up, the fabric feeling soft and smooth in my hands, the buttons for its eyes hard and cold. Immediately I put it back on the self.

I shouldn’t be like this, especially over a toy. I should be more grown up.

“Can I help you?” Someone asks. I walk down the aisles, stopping at the sweet aisle.

“I’m with two little girls and we have nowhere to go.” Kara begins. I peer around the aisle, Kara facing a man standing behind the till. Alice stands nearby looking around the store. “Could you spare some money so that we can get a room for tonight?”

I turn my gaze back to the sweet aisle, listening to the conversation, picking up a chocolate bar.

“Look,” the man, the cashier sighs. “this is a convenience store lady, not the Salvation Army. I can’t start handing out cash to every bum in the neighborhood.”

Glancing around the aisle, the cashier is seated back behind the till watching the small TV monitor. Kara has moved, walking through the aisles, lingering at the toy aisle. I look back at the chocolate bar in my hand.

Alice might be hungry. I know I am.

Quickly, with my body pressed into the aisle as close as I can, I stuff the bar into my jean pocket, covering it up with my flannel. I walk back to Alice, standing next to her. She’s not shaking anymore, just shivering a little. I feel a little warmer but still tired, my head still aching, like a really bad headache. Mom used to get those, all the time. She used to shout at me when I was playing, even when I was really quiet. She never yelled at …

Kara walks up to us, the front of her coat lumpy.

“Alice,” she whispers. “I need your help. You see those cans over there?”

Both me and Alice look over to the neatly stacked cans on displayed in the middle of the store.

“I want you to go over and knock them down.”

“Knock them down? But why?” Alice asks, loudly. Luckily the cashier doesn’t notice, to busy watching the TV to notice.

“Please, Alice. Just trust me.”

Alice walks hesitantly away from us, going over to the cans, Kara standing near the checkout. There’s a crash, the cans bouncing amidst each other on the floor as I peer around the edge of the aisle, Alice standing guilty over them. The cashier looks up, startled by the noise and walks over to Alice, leaving the checkout and till unguarded.

“You all right?”

Kara quickly leans over the checkout, opening the till.

“Are you hurt?”

Kara places her hand inside the till, pulling out some notes. I keep looking back and forth between Alice and Kara, worried. What if he sees?

“Well don’t worry, its just a few cans.”

Kara quickly pulls her hand away from the till, money inside her hand, stuffing the notes into her coat pockets.

We weren’t caught.

“Come on Alice!” I call out, joining hands with Kara. Alice comes hurrying over, joining hands with us as we exit the store, walking down the road. Kara pulls us behind some bins, in a small alleyway, making us hide up against the bins as the cashier comes running out of the store, swearing. His head turns left and right, searching for us. He soon gives up, muttering to himself as he goes back inside the store, the doors sliding shut.

Kara pulls us away from the bins, out of the alleyway and back into the street. She walks us in the direction back to the motel, swinging our arms.

“We have some cash now!” she says smiling. It’s infectious – I start to smile until Alice sharply tugs her hand away from Kara, causing us to stop and turn to look at her.

“You used me to steal that money! How could you do that? I trusted you!” Alice accuses.

I look up to Kara, her eyes wide and her head bowed at Alice. She used Alice to steal that money … but for a good reason. To keep us safe. But she didn’t need to use Alice.

“You didn’t have to use Alice …” I mumble. Kara’s face drops as she hears.

“You’re right, I shouldn’t have don’t that. I’m sorry Alice, Emilia. I’ll never do it again.”

I squeeze Kara’s hand gently. She smiles sadly down at me, taking Alice’s hand, all of us walking back towards the motel. Kara opens the door and this time we walk inside the reception area. I direct Alice to sit down on one of the chairs, sitting down next to her, as Kara talks to the man at the desk.

“Hi, I like a room.”

“That’ll be $40,” the man says, pulling out a tablet and an electronic pen out from under the desk. “Upfront.”

Kara pulls out two notes, probably $20s, siding them towards the man. He takes them, placing down the tablet and pen in front of Kara. “Just need your name and address.”

Kara picks up the pen, singing the tablet, likely under a fake name. The man takes the tablet from her after Kara finishes, looking satisfied. “Can I see your driver’s license?”

“We … we were in a rush … I think I forgot it at home …” Kara stumbles over her words, but the man smiles.

“No worries, we can deal with it tomorrow.” He says, producing a key card, giving it to Kara. “Have a good night.”

“Good night. Come on Alice, Emilia.” Kara lets us back outside, closing the door after her. I shiver, leaving the warmth of the room and back into the cold and wet streets.

“Do you think he believed you?” I ask, taking Kara’s hand, Alice taking the other. We being to walk to the blocks of the rooms, each with the curtains drawn closed, one room playing rap music loudly.

Dad used to like that type of music.

I shake my head, trying to ignore the tightening knot beginning to form in my stomach.

“I don’t know Emilia. All I know is that you and Alice will be nice and warm tonight.” Kara replies.

We walk up the stairs, Kara letting us go up them first. She follows behind, taking the lead once we’re all up on the second level. Reaching the room, Kara unlocks it with the card, flipping on the lights and letting us in.

“Here, give me your coats.”

I unzip my body warmer, taking off my beanie as well, giving them to Kara. As she hangs the coats and the hats, I sit Alice down on one of the two single beds, sitting down next to her. Kara knees down, one of the dresser drawers opposite the beds open.

“Let’s get these clothes off, they’re soaking.” Kara says, breaking the silence that had settled over us. Kara removes Alice’s soaking clothes first, leaving her in her green sleeved top, woodland animals in the center, and her underwear. My clothes are removed next, only long blue-sleeve white panda t-shirt and underwear dry, not even my socks.

“I’ll just put these in the bathroom to dry.” Kara says, bundling our clothes and moving into the small attached bathroom. I watch her inside the bathroom, leaning on the sink with her hands, looking into the mirror with a sigh, her eyes glistening and cast downwards.

I stand up, squeezing Alice’s hand before walking over to Kara, wrapping my arms around her waist.

“Don’t be sad …” I mumble into her back, letting go after a moment. Kara turns around, setting her hands on my cheeks, making me wince.

“Does it hurt?” she asks, moving her hand away slightly. I can see (barely, I’m so short even for a twelve-year-old) my face in the mirror – the bruise cut on my cheek bright red and purple.

“Yeah, but my head and nose feel better …” I reply.

Kara reaches above me to the rack of towels, taking one of the hand towels and wetting it with the cold water. She gently dabs at the cut, making me wince and flinch a little.

“There,” she says, putting the washcloth down on the sink. “that should help it feel better.”

I smile warmly at her as she rests her hand on my shoulders, giving them a little squeeze as she turns me around.

“Come on, let's go back to Alice.”

Alice is silent as we approach and I feel my smile slipping off my mouth as I sit down next to her, Kara kneeing.

“Why didn’t he love me?” Alice asks, her voice small, almost like she was going to cry. “Why was he always so upset with me? All I wanted was a life like other girls.”

I bow my head, the cut suddenly stinging as I place my hand on top of hers. Kara’s LED flinching between blue and yellow.

“Maybe I did something wrong? Maybe I wasn’t good enough? That’s why he was always so angry.”

“It was never your fault Alice …” I whisper, tears brimming in my eyes. It was never Alice’s fault. It was my fault – if only I could be more like …

Alice shakes her head, looking up to Kara. “Why couldn’t we be happy?”

Kara shakes her head. “I don’t know …” she answers, at last.

“You’ll never leave us?” Alice asks. I look up to Kara. 

“Promise you’ll never go.”

Kara’s LED returns to blue in a heartbeat. “I promise.”

“We’ll be together forever?” I ask, trying not to sound desperate.

Kara nods. “Forever.”

Alice and I reach across towards Kara, winding our arms around her shoulders, hugging her. After a second, I feel Kara’s arms resting around my shoulders, hugging us back. She lets go first, gently resting a hand on each of our cheeks.

“You both should sleep now.” Kara says. Alice and I slip under the purple, floral covers as Kara flips the light off, returning with something hidden behind her back.

“Look what I got you.” She whispers, handing me something soft. I peer in the darkness, trying to make out its shape. The fox! The one at the store.

“Thank you Kara!” I take the fox, tucking it under the cover next to me, gently hugging it to my side.

Kara leans down, kissing our heads. “Sleep tight Alice, Emilia.”

I close my eyes, hugging onto my (my!) fox, feeling a weight laying down on the bed. A hand reaches out, gently resting on my hip.

“Night Kara, Alice” I whisper, falling asleep.


	4. On the run

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 31/01/19: updated as off today!

The sound of music and laughing wakes me up, Alice having vanished from the bed, the Tv on, some cartoon playing. Kara sits in her place, gently running her hands through my hair. Her hair is shorter now (what did Mom call it? Pixie something …), her hair a colour of deep brown, matching mine. She looks like Mom, before she dyed her hair bright blonde, making my heart ache.

She looks … different. Not in a bad way. I’ll miss her long hair but her short hair suits her.

I sit up, rubbing my eyes as I yawn.

“Good morning,” Kara says, letting me sit up more comfortably.  I cross my legs, leaning against the head boarded of the bed, my fox laying next to me.

“Did you sleep well?”

“Yep.” I answer. I can hear water running from the closed-off bathroom – Alice must be in there. Hopefully, she hasn’t got sick from last night.

“Once you and Alice have had a bath and changed, we can go out and find something to eat.” Kara says, brushing away some hair that fallen into my face. I bit my lip, thinking back to the chocolate bar.

“I … found something last night. A chocolate bar,” I mumbled. “I put it in my coat.”

“Emilia,” Kara says, looking shocked. “You didn’t steal it did you?”

“No!” I say, jumping up in my seat. I can’t let her know – what if she leaves me? “I … found it on the floor of the shop, it was damaged and – “

“Emilia, shh.”

Kara places her hands on my hands. I quieten down.

“If you want something, I’ll try to get it for you, okay? You don’t have to do things like that.”

Tears threaten to fall, and I rub my eyes, sniffing. “Okay Kara.”

Kara gently whips my eyes, smiling. “If you’re hungry you can go and eat it now.”

I nod, getting off the bed and reaching into my coat pocket for the chocolate bar, opening it. It's warm and melting, but its edible. I wasn’t allowed chocolate at home. Mom said it was bad and Dad said it cost too much money.

I finish the bar and pick up the TV remote, pressing the buttons. The channels flash, changing to different ones. Someone’s face makes me stop.

Dad. Forehead bruised and a plaster over it, a bandaged covering his hand.

A presenter presses a microphone into Dads face and he begins to speak.

“I was having dinner, I was minding my own business,” Dad grumbles as information runs by at the bottom of the screen, a tittle in bold declaring ‘AX400 STILL AT LARGE’.

“Damn thing jumped on me, I managed to defend myself, but it went crazy. I thought it was going to kill me and my …” he pauses, looking down, sniffing as if crying.

“And what Todd?” the presenter asks.

“My daughter, Alice and Emilia. I thought it was going to kill them. So, I fought it off, but it ran away, the damn thing taking my girls.” He lies, rubbing away the imaginary tears.

They’re going to be looking for us, the police. They might take us back to dad, Kara broke, killed.

I hate him.

The bathroom door fly’s open, Alice standing there fuming at the TV. “It’s not true!” she shouts.

“He’s lying! He’s the one who tried to hurt us!”

Kara switches off the TV, as me and Alice move. I sit down on the bed, Alice standing over by the window. I run my hands over the fabric of my fox as Kara sits down on the edge of the second bed, the room filled with tense silence.

“What are we gonna do? We have nowhere to go.” Alice mumbles, peering out of the curtains, letting them drop afterward.

“We’re not going back.” I say, my eyes wet. My hands brush against them hard. I’m not crying – I won’t.

Kara shakes her head, looking down at the carpet of the room. “We can’t stay here, we don’t have any money …”

“Do you have any family? Anyone who can help us?”

“No … it was only … D-dad.” I say, my voice thick and uncomfortable. There were no aunts or uncles or cousins. Just me and Dad. And Alice.

“That android yesterday, he gave me an address. He said we could get some help there, could be worth a try.” Kara says, but neither me or Alice answer.

Kara stands, talking my hand as she walks towards Alice, letting go of my hand as she turns Alice around.

“We can’t change the past Alice, Emilia. But we can decide the future. We’ll gonna pull through, and soon all of this will just be a bad memory.”

Alice reaches out, pulling us into a hug. I wrap my hands around Kara and Alice, feeling their arms around me as well.

I am safe, warm, dry. Kara’s not broken and Alice is safe. And we’re away (safe) from Dad. He can’t hurt us.

Kara lets go after a moment. “Finish getting ready. I’ll go out and find some food for you both. Then we can get going.”

Alice goes back into the bathroom, closing the door behind her, as Kara opens the main door, exiting the room. I put back on my clothes - pulling my jumper ann socks back on, putting on my boots on, zipping up my body warmer, wearing my beannie. 

I pull back the curtains. It’s still raining but the flashing red and blue lights draw my attention. The police!

Kara comes rushing back into the room, breathing heavily. She quickly starts tidying the room, making the beds and turning the TV off, as if we didn’t spend the night. I rush into the bathroom, helping Alice dress quicker, my hands shaking.

“What’s matter Emilia?” she asks as I place her boots on.

“The police are here, Alice. You know when we play hide and seek?”

Alice nodded. We always played it in summer, in the garden, just to get away from Dad. He was angrier when it was hot.

“Well, we’re going to play that, us against the police okay?”

She nods again and we exit the room, Kara holding onto our hands. We pile into the backroom of the motel, as I rub my cold pink arms for warmth.

A broom digs into my back as I peer through the crack in the door, Alice pressed in the middle of me and Kara. I watch, holding onto my fox, as three people pass: an old man with grey hair, an android wearing a jacket with the same blue armband Kara used to wear and a woman wearing a black leather jacket.

They pass and Kara deems the coast is clear, opening the back door, letting us out into the streets.

We walk past the laundromat as rain pours down on us, police cars and cops littering the roads and the pathway. My arms tremble as we walk past two cops, both of them talking into their radios. Kara pulls us into a bus stop, posing as if we were waiting for a bus. I cram my beanie further down, hoping my face won’t be seen.

Once the cops pass, Kara leads us across the road, avoiding the other cops. We reach the other side of the pavement, more cops coming out from a shop, straight towards us.

Kara pulls out a black umbrella from a bucket full of them next to us, opening it to shield us from the cops.

They walk away and we rush along the streets, hiding as more and more cops keep appearing. They must be searching the area, for us.

We near the train station, Kara urging us to move quicker the nearer we get to it.

We enter the station, warm and clean compared to the streets. There’s barely anyone in the station, all of them leaving as the previous train leaves and the next one arrives. As the train doors slide open and we all pile into it, no one else on it as it pulls away, leaving the station.

My chest expands with a sudden breath that I didn’t know I was holding.

“Are you okay?” Kara asks as she knees before us, concern etched onto her face.

Alice and I knee down with her, leaning into a hug with Kara. My trembling eases as she wraps her arms around us, hugging back.


	5. Zlatko part 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 1/2/19: updated and edited as of today!

We walk in silence, Alice occasionally sneezing and sniffing as more rain pours down onto us. My clothes are soaking and freezing again, the bottom of my boots squelching with each step I take. Kara stops, facing us as she feels my cheek.

“Emilia, you’re freezing.” She says, worry echoing in her voice.

I tremble as the rain continues to fall on my arms, legs hands, fingers – every part of my body numb. Kara removes her coat and beanie, replacing my soaked body warmer and beanie with hers.

“There, you should feel warmer now.”

They’re so large on me – the beanie so big that it engulfs my head, the coat sleeves coming past my hands and knees. But it’s warm and dry. Instantly, I wrap the coat tighter around me, smiling up to Kara. She smiles back, linking hands with me and Alice again, continuing to walk.

 

An old, Victorian-looking house towers up ahead, a gate covered in thick vines and brambles keep it locked in. Thunder rumbles in the sky as we reach the house and gate.

“This is the place ...” Kara mumbles, reaching up to unlock the gate and letting us inside.

The house is a dull red shade, looking like dried blood, covered in any more vines and brambles. The windows are either boarded up or smashed in, the walls and the door dented and scuffed with many marks.

It’s more of a haunted house than a refuge Kara said it was.

Kara rings the doorbells as I hold hands with Alice, peering inside a window that hadn’t been smashed or boarded up. The glass wavers whatever’s inside but the light from inside makes it more visible to see inside. I can make out two large sofas and a fireplace, but that’s all. Hopefully, it's warm inside.

No reply comes after waiting a few minutes, making Kara ring the doorbell again, holding it for longer. Alice looks up to the house, her lips trembling.

“We’ll get help here Alice, don’t worry.” I say as I let go of her hand to rearrange her scarf. Alice nods but doesn’t look relieved. I bring her to my side, hugging her with an arm.

The door opens, only by an inch, Kara beginning to speak to the person on the other side of the door.

“Are you Zlatko?”

“Who’s asking?”

The voice is heavy, sounding like a man’s. I hug Alice tighter.

“I was told you could help us …”

“I don’t know who told you that. You came to the wrong place. I’m sor- “

“Wait!”

The door goes to close again, but Kara sticks her foot in the pathway of the closing door, holding onto the frame of it.

“We really need your help …”

The man’s head sticks out from the door, peering around in the darkness. As his eyes settle on us, I hug Alice closer to my side, to hide her from the stranger. The man clenches his jaw, before opening the door.

“Come in.”

Kara re-joins hands with us as we walk inside the entrance way of the house, the man standing before us. The entrance way is old – paint crumbling off the walls, the wallpaper peeling off. It’s warm and dry though, decorated with old paintings on the walls and a stuffed … bird (?) standing in the corner, near the stairs.

Kara closes the door behind her, shutting out the sound of the rain. I can feel Alice shiver less now, her hand gripping mine tightly. I tremble, despite not being in the rain anymore.

“Come on in, don’t be shy!” the man jokes, walking into a joint room, standing by the doorway, waiting.

We follow, into what looks like a living room where a fire in the fireplace crackles.

“Luther, would you be so kind to take these ladies coats?” the man says, looking above us. We turn around in a hurry, jumping a bit. Alice moves to hide behind me, gripping the back of my coat. An enormous tall man (an android by his LED) stands there, holding his arm out in front of him.

The man -Zlatko, Kara called him – chuckles.

“Oh, don’t be afraid of our big friend here. Luther is just another android that I helped. He keeps me company in this big, empty, old house …” Zlatko says, gesturing around. Kara gives Luther our coats and hats, helping to unzip them. I shiver, my arms wet and cold.

We sit down on the huge sofa as Luther hangs our coats and hats, Zlatko walking up to a trolley, many different kinds of bottles in size and colour, standing on the surface.

“How did you hear about me?” he asks, pouring one of the bottles liquids into a cup, sipping from it.

“An android … on the street, he said you could help us …” Kara says as Zlatko returns with his drink in hand. He sits down on the sofa opposite us.

“I see … deviant, huh?”

Zlatko stretches his arms either side of him on the sofa. Kara doesn’t answer.

“What about them?”

Kara looks at us, focusing more on Alice, before speaking.

“They’re … human. Both of them.”

Zlatko nods, sinking into the sofa, sipping from his drink every once in a way, satisfied with Kara’s answer.

“And … you wanna find a safe place, somewhere where you can start a new life. I hear Canada is very lovely at this time of year. Beautiful landscapes. Open skies, clean air … and no android laws!” Zlatko says. “Great place for a fresh start.”

Kara smiles, looking relieved. “Yes, that’s … that’s exactly what we want.”

“Of course!” Zlatko shifts, moving so his hands rest upon his knees, hunched but still looking so large and imitating.

“I can help you. But first, we have to get rid of your tracker.”

“Tracker?” Kara asks.

“Yeah, all androids are fitted with a tracking device to locate them at all times.” Zlatko replies, so upbeat that it makes my skin crawl.

Something doesn’t seem right.

“I’ll remove yours and then you’ll all be safe.”

Zlatko grins, standing up, leaving his drink on the coffee table. “Come on, follow me.”

We stand, Kara joining hands with us.

“Ah, the little ones can wait for us in the living room.” Zlatko calls out from the entrance way as we join him.

“No, they always stay with me.” Kara response.

“Of course. Right this way.” Zlatko holds a hand out in front of him, gesturing to some stairs that deceased downwards.

“Everything we need is in the basement.”

We walk down the stairs as Zlatko marches on in front, Luther following silently behind.

“I don’t like that man,” Alice whispers to Kara. “let’s go. I have a bad feeling.”

“Yeah, he is really creepy …” I whisper, glancing behind at Luther. He just stares back.

“I know …” Kara whispers back. “I don’t trust him either. We have to be careful.”

 

The brick walls of the basement are covered in scuff and nail marks, some of the bricks looking like someone had torn them out before being put back in. I shiver, clinging tighter to Kara’s hand as we pass through a holding area. Metal bars cover the stalls, making them look like prison cells.

“Please excuse the mess. I needed somewhere discreet for my machines.”

Alice walks up to one of the stalls, letting go of Kara’s hand. I follow her, standing behind as we both stare into the stall. It’s pitch black inside but human-like shapes move around, at the back.

“Removing trackers is illegal, so I opted for discretion over comfort …” Zlatko pauses. “I hope the little ones aren’t too scared.”

I feel Kara’s hand on my shoulder, squeezing it.

“No … no, they’ll be all right …”

She pulls us away, joining hands once again. As we leave, I see little orange lights, like eyes, in the distance of the darkness, before they vanish.

“This way please.” Zlatko calls and we follow, entering a room. CyberLife boxes are everywhere, a sheet of plastic splitting the room in half. As Zlatko lifts the sheet up, a large machine is revealed. Wires are connected to the machines, all linked back to a computer, humming. Puddles are on the floor – the poor ceiling light making them reflect a deep blue.

“If you could just stand over there.” Zlatko says, his hands typing away on the keyboard. Kara smiles at us as she lets go of our hands, stepping into the machine, facing us.

Zlatko turns back to Kara, as I hold Alice’s hand, Luther standing over us, not moving a muscle.

“I should warn you, this could be unpleasant.”

Kara is suddenly held up in the air, the claws of the machine entering the back of her neck, holding her arms. Her legs dangle in the air, swaying back and forth. Kara gasps in pain, blinking rapidly. Zlatko walks up to her, as both me and Alice watch. Butterflies fly around my stomach as I grip my fox in my hands, watching Zlatko and Kara, filled with dread.

“You know what’s strange? For some unknown reason, the trackers seem to stop working in deviants. That’s why its so hard to find them.” Zlatko says, moving to stand in front of Kara.

“So, actually there’s no reason to remove your tracker.”

“What? But you said that – “Kara splutters.

“Yeah.” Zlatko shrugs, looking over to me and Alice.

I grip Alice’s hand, pushing her behind me, to hide her.

“People believe what they want. You, deviants, are so naïve! They all come to me, expecting me to help them.”

Zlatko shrugs again, turning back to look up to Kara, smiling.

“And I reset them, sell them on. Or I keep them for my little experiments …”

“NO!” Kara screams, tugging and pulling at the metal claws. “No! I don’t want to be reset! Let me go!”

“Kara!” both me and Alice shout, trying to run up to her. Luther holds his hand out in front of us, holding us back. He shows no emotion, even though his LED flashes yellow.

“I forgot about them … children!” Zlatko laughs, pointing at us, shrugging after a moment.

“Um, lock them up. I’ll deal with them later.” He directs Luther.

“ALICE! EMILIA! NO!” Kara screams. I try to hold back my tears at bay, wanting to tear down Kara, but Luther keeps a hold on us, with barely any of his strength.

“A deviant that wants to be a mother …” Zlatko says in awe, smirking crazily. “That’s … that’s so sweet! And so deluded …”

Kara’s eyes focus on us now, not looking at Zlatko as he starts up at her, shaking his head in fake pity.

“I think it’s time to put you outta of your misery.”

He moves over to the computer, typing things in as Kara gasps and splutters in pain, her eyes closing shut. She goes still as the screen near her flashes ‘RESET O%’ popping up. It starts to count up, one number at a time.

Zlatko stands before Kara as she re-opens her eyes, unable to speak as she opens and closes her mouth.

“That’s what you get for having a dream,” Zlatko says. “It always ends up in the same way … tears and disillusionment … believe me, you’re better off being erased and feeling nothing …”

Kara says nothing, looking back and forth between me and Alice, then at Zlatko.

“No more pain … no more hopes dashed … I almost envy you …”

As Kara closes her eyes and Zlatko moves away, Alice and I rush up to her, Luther surprisingly letting us. I pull on her shirt, trying to tug her down. Alice hug on her middle, clinging to her as Zlatko laughs.

“Kara!” both me and Alice yell at her.

“Oh, poor Alice and Emilia! Aw! Looks like Mommy doesn’t remember you at all, huh?”

He sounds just like Dad, all loud and mocking.

“Looks like Mommy’s completely forgotten you!”

“Kara, what happened to you?” Alice shakes Kara, tears brimming in her eyes.

“Alright, that’s enough, come on.” Zlatko huffs, grabbing a hold onto Alice, pulling her away,

Alice turns around and bits down on Zlatko’s bare arm that holds her. He yelps, letting go of her. There’s blood.

“You bit me!” he snarls. He shoves Alice to the ground, towering over her like a monster.

I let go of Kara, pushing him forward, kicking him in the back of his knees. Zlatko stumbles but manages to stay standing up, turning around to face me.

“You bitch!” he snarls, pushing me to the floor. My knees scrape as they hit the floor, string in pain. Tears form in my eyes, but I refuse to let them fall. Not while he is looking.

“I’m gonna teach you some manners, you bitches!”

He pulls us up, gripping my wrist painfully, taking us away from Kara and Luther, back upstairs. I turn my head to look at Kara one last time.

“Kara! Wake up, Kara!” Alice’s voice echoes.

“Kara, please! Kara!” I scream as we disappear around a corner.


	6. Zlatko : part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 2/2/19: updated/ edited as of today!

Zlatko tosses us in a room. The windows are all boarded up, the tiled walls and floors broken and dirty. There are even more scuff and claw marks on the walls, littered on the wooden boards, and the broken door.

Alice and I sit on the floor, hugging each other. I can feel tears run down my face as Alice sniff, shaking as she leans into me.

Will Kara remember?

Are we going to die?

We never should of came here, we should have ran. Now Kara won’t remember us, and Zlatko is going to kill us!

I don’t want Alice gone!

I don’t want to die!

 

My skin feels hot and cold, every part of my body trembling as time passes, the seconds, minutes, passing by on my watch. I try to control my fast, unsteady breathing for Alice’s sake – I can feel my shoulder getting wet from where Alice leans up against.

I have to be brave for her.

 

The doorknob turns and I brace myself, ready to fight back against Luther or Zlatko.

 

Expect it’s not either of them.

 

“Alice, Emilia …”

 

It’s Kara.

 

I rush forward towards Kara, at the same time as Alice does. It’s a mess, but we all hug each other, Kara wrapping her arms around us both.

“You remember! You remember us!” I sob into her should, relieved.

She remembers!

“How could I forget you two!” Kara says, her voice thick. She pulls back – her eyes glimmering with tears.

“I’m so sorry Alice, Emilia. You were right we never should have came here …”

Outside of the room, far away, the floorboards creak, Kara’s head snapping up to look behind. She turns back to us.

“We have to go. Follow me and don’t make any noise, ok?”

Both me and Alice nod and we stand, my legs wobbling. We exit the room, Kara leaning against a wall, peering around it.

“Luther!” Zlatko’s voice calls out and I shrink back into the door.

“Yes, Zlatko?”

“I’m finished here. Go fetch the little ones.”

Kara moves away from the door, opening a door next to us, pulling us all inside. A fireplace illuminates the room, the fire cracking as heavy footsteps echo outside.

Kara directs under a table, all of us squeezing under it as Kara drapes the table cover on the table over our legs.

“Zlatko! The little ones are gone!”

“Well, they can't have just disappeared. They’ve gotta be here somewhere! What are you waiting for? Go look!

The door swings open, slamming against the wall. Heavy footsteps enter, the fire casting a tall, large shadow along the floor. The room creaks as feet move around. I grip onto my fox as we wait, barely breathing.

“Luther! What the fuck are you doing? Come here!”

“Coming!”

The feet move away, and a door opens, closing with a heavy thud.

Slowly Kara lets us out from under the table, going to open a door into another room.

“They're searching the house ... we've got to get out before they find us.” Kara says as we pile into the room.

It’s a bedroom, poorly light by one single table lamp. A blackened android lays on the floor, it’s face split apart. Kara directs us under the bed to hide, as the android lifts hand letting it fall with a thump moments later.

As soon as we slide underneath the bed, Zlatko enters the room, charging in, muttering to himself. I grip onto Kara’s hand, squeezing my eyes shut.

“Fucking android … I should’ve taken it apart the minute I set eyes on it.”

He sounds closer now, something being pulled opened, metal sounding things rattling.

“Deviants. Are. Nothing. But. Trouble." he grumbles as something clicks. He moves, his footsteps sounding further away. A door slams open and shuts.

Kara lets us out from under the bed, standing up and moving to the door, slowly opening it. We enter what looks like a hallway, slowly walking through it, until another door opens from behind us, Luther’s shadow walking out from it. Kara opens the door net to us, pushing us all in and closing it carefully.

An android, his chest cut open, with wires and blue blood coming out from him, lays in a bathtub. He’s LED changes to red the instant he sees us, his eyes widening.

“You’re disobeying the master! YOU’RE DISOBEYING THE MASTER!” he shouts, almost screaming the words, as Kara rushes over to him, her hand hovering over the blue heart.

“I, I, I, I CAN’T LET YOU DO THAT!”

Kara rips out his blue heart, it still beating. She drops it to the ground in horror.

Gently, I reach out my hand to hers, holding it. She looks down at me, then back to the heart. Marching footsteps sound louder now, and it snaps Kara out of her shock.

Kara opens another door (why does this house have so many doors?), leading us inside. I look around the room, backing up into Kara as Alice holds my hand.

Androids are cut up, laying on the floor or on tables, their eyes just staring. Heads stand up on the tables, arms and legs neatly lined up against each other. The other androids, the ones that can move, have their faces removed or spilt apart, like the one back in the bedroom. Some don’t even have face’s, different objects replacing them.

I feel sick, my hands trembling. I can’t help but look. I barely feel Kara’s hand on my shoulder.

“We can’t stop now,” Kara whispers calmly. “We just need to be brave Alice, Emilia.”

“I know you’re there, you sneaky bitch! Show yourselves!” Zlatko shouts, the door the side of us opening. Kara makes us duck, hiding underneath a table, as Zlatko enters the room, Luther by his side.

“Get a flashlight, there’s one of the table.”

There a light shining around the dark room as footsteps pass in front of us. Kara points to a long table in front of us and we run, hiding underneath.

“Look, I’m not going to hurt you.”

Lair.

“I only wanna talk to you … I know I shouldn’t have tried to erased your memory, ok? I regret that now.”

The flashlight hovers near us but turns in another direction. Kara rushes towards another table, us following as we crouch down next to it.

“Think about those little girls. How scared they must be …”

We crawl to the end of the table, my knees stinging with pain. Zlatko must be near – his breathing is louder now and heavier. I squeeze my fox tighter to my chest.

“I know where you’re hiding …”

He sounds so close, almost next to us. The flashlight hovers around the room, setting on a place randomly, then changing.

“This game is over and I’m gonna make you regret this little charade …”

I squeeze my eyes, holding tight to Kara’s hand.

Please don’t let him find us!

A roar is let and Zlatko screams. Kara makes us dash for the door as Zlatko is distracted. He fires at a polar bear (a polar bear! I’ve only seen them in books or on TV), blue blood spluttering out from the bear as it roars again. As we run out of the room, I see the bear bring it’s down, slashing Zlatko’s face. Zlatko lets out a scream once we’re out of the room, another gunshot exploding.

We run across the remaining hallways as Luther calmly follows after us, not speeding or shouting, unlike Zlatko. We’re running down the stairs when he comes out of the room, firing the gun at us. It nearly hits me. I scream as Kara grabs at me, lifting me out of the way. The shot instead hits the wooden banister, wood flying everywhere.

Luther stills follows us through the living room. I reach out as we run, managing to knock over a tall lamp, hopefully blocking Luther’s way.

Kara opens the back door, letting us out into the back garden. We run through the mud and grass, raining pouring down onto us. My feet slip on the mud, making me fall. I grunt in pain.

“Emilia!” Kara shouts and falls down in front of me.

“GO! GO EMILIA, ALICE!”

I can see Luther standing at the door, waiting for Zlatko.

What will he do if we leave Kara?!

“No! We won’t leave you!” Alice shouts back, holding onto my hand.

“Yeah! We won't leave you here!” I shout as Kara pushes me off the mud, standing back up.

“GO! RUN AS FAST AS YOU CAN!”

Kara stands in front of us and Zlatko comes rushing towards us, his gun pointed at Kara. Luther stands next to Zlatko as he huffs and puffs, three jagged lines craved onto his cheek, bleeding red.

“I warned you! Dreams always end up in tears …” he says, clicking the gun at Kara. I grab on the back of her shirt, Alice doing the same as we both tremble.

“You should’ve listened to me!”

Luther’s LED flashes red and yellow.

He starts moving – standing directly in front of Kara, in front of Zlatko.

“What are you doing?” Zlatko growls. “Get outta of my way!”

“No …” Luther says. “Not this time.”

What's happing?

“I said get outta my way or I’ll shoot right through you!”

Zlatko shoves the gun at Luther’s chest but Luther grabs at it, turning it back to point it at Zlatko.

“How dare you!” Zlatko snarls, his hands now empty.

“How dare – “

A mechanical screech is let out, crouched figures emerging from the shadows of the garden, each looking more and more disfigured.

“What are you doing here? Who let you let?” Zlatko says, breathless. He almost sounds scared.

“Get away from me!” he shouts as the figures near him, rushing forward. “Get away from me!”

Kara brings us into her middle, turning us away from looking at Zlatko. I close my eyes, covering Alice’s ears so she doesn’t have to hear whatever is coming.

“Obey me! I’m your master! I’M YOUR MASTER – “

Something sounding like a whack cuts him off, making him scream even more. The whacks and kicking multiplies as I listen in horror, Zlatko’s screams slowly get quieter and quieter.

After a loud crack, Zlatko goes silent.

Multiple screeches are let out, the sound of footsteps fills the silence.

Something heavy drops to the floor and I turn my head around, able to see Luther through Kara’s arms.

I don’t look down.

“I didn’t want to hurt you … he programmed me to obey him …”

Luther talks quietly as the rain falls down on us, but less.

“When I saw the little ones risk their lives to save you, it was like opening my eyes for the first time … finally, I could see …”

Kara says nothing but she loosens her grip on us. I let go of Alice but grab onto Kara shirt, my fingers trembling.

“I know you have no reason to trust me after what I did, but I know someone who can help you across the border. I could take you there, I could protect you. You and the little ones.”

Kara looks down at us, biting her lip before looking up to Luther, who waits patiently for Kara’s answer.

She nods, holding us tighter to her.

“All right,” Kara says. “I trust you.”

Luther looks relieved as she nods at Kara answer. Kara hugs us to her middle. I bury my head into her middle.

“I was so scared of loosening you both.” She whispers.


	7. Pirates cove

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 4/2/19: Updated and edited as of today!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Outfits are hard to describe, so what I have envisioned for Emilia's outfit is based of the original concept art for Alice. You should find them if you search them up

We sit in a car, driving along the snowy roads. I sit in the back, Alice’s head sleeping on my lap, in my new clothes. Kara had found them in the closet – a t[hick pink jumper with two singing blue birds on it](https://i.pinimg.com/564x/48/13/b5/4813b58ebcecc6d1e9dde8ec25ad52c3.jpg), deep blue leg warmers and faded pink pattened scarf. My leggings, body warmer, boots and beanie were still in good condition to wear. Alice had found a pair of faded, black fingerless gloves for me.

Kara found new clothes for herself as well. A black-and-white turtleneck tunic and a coat with a high collar. Luther wears a coat and Alice has a hat-scarf, with some similar, deep blue fingerless gloves.

I shiver as Luther drives past the heaps of snow on the roads, the snow glittering under the streetlamps that line the roads.

Hugging the blanket closer to me, I lean my head against the cold window. Kara had laid a blanket on me last time we had stopped, concerned with how much I was shaking

“You gonna be alright?” she asked, as she felt my forehead.

I nodded, shivering. Alice has tried hugging me to keep me warm but had soon feel asleep, dozing off on my lap.

“It’s a good thing Zlatko had a car …” Kara says breaking the silence.

I rub my eyes, my head feeling heavy.

“I wouldn’t want Alice or Emilia out walking in this cold …”

“I saw it once in the garage,” Luther replies. “I don’t know if Zlatko ever even used it.”

The car once again dissolves back into silence once again. I look out of the window, watching the snow fall down.

“I’ve never seen snow before …” I say.

I see from the corner of my eyes Kara turning around to look, smiling.

“It’s pretty.”

It reminds me of the glitter Alice and I used when we wanted to paint and draw. We used to go crazy with it, pouring it onto the paper in clumps, and then at each other, laughing and giggling at the sparking mess.

Dad stopped us after he heard us laughing.

“It’s slowing us down …” Luther says as Kara looks at him, frowning. “But at least we won’t meet any humans along the way …”

Some hair falls over my eyes and I tuck it behind my ears. It’s long now – Kara had to braid it to keep it out of my face. All the kids back at school used to tug at my hair, when they used to make fun of me.

Dad pulled me out of school after Mom left. He didn’t take Alice to school either.

“Is it much farther?” Kara asks.

Luther touches the mini screen, bringing up the map.

“We should arrive un an hour or so.” He replies and the car returns back to the silence.

 

Until a red-light flash.

“Malfunction detected. Emergency brakes activated.” The car announces.

The car atomically pulls over and stops, clouds of steam rising out from the front of the car. Alice sits up from my lap, rubbing her eyes.

“This doesn’t look good.” Luther says.

Both his and Kara’s seats turn around, facing me and Alice. The door slides open and Luther climbs out, the biting cold wind making me start to shake.

“Stay inside Alice, Emilia.” Kara says, joining Luther outside.

The wind is stronger now, freezing cold as it blows inside the car. It just makes me shake even more.

“You’re really warm Emilia.” Alice says, sitting up properly now.

“Don’t worry Alice,” I try to reassure her, brushing the hair away that had fallen out from her bun. “It’s nothing.”

I can’t get sick now. We need to get across the border first and being sick would just slow us down.

“Alice, Emilia,” Luther calls, appearing in the doorway of the car. “We found somewhere to spend the night.”

Alice exits first, letting Luther pick her up onto his shoulder, as I follow after, keeping the blanket around my shoulders.

Kara walks up to us, with a flashlight, when I wobble, nearly falling down. Luther reaches out, helping me balance.

“Emilia!” Kara says, holding onto my shoulders. “Are you alright?”

“I don’t … fell so well …” I say, shaking more as the wind slashes across my face.

“It’s just a little further, okay?” Kara says. She turns around, crouching down a little.

“Here, jump up.”

A piggyback. I jump on her back, Kara wrapping her arms around my legs, giving me the flashlight before.

“Can you shine it around for me?” She asks.

I nod and we set off.

Kara leads the way with me on her back, Luther with Alice on his shoulder, following. I shine the flashlight up to the large sign. ‘PIRATE’S COVE AMUSEMENT PARK, WELCOME!’ is displayed, a pirate’s hooked hand pointing towards the gate.

We walk further and further, the snow and wind slapping my face, getting colder and colder. Finally, in the distance becoming clearer as we near it, a giant gate comes into view. Octopus tentacles emerge from the top of the gate, ‘PIRATES COVE’ in bold letters displayed amidst the tentacles. Caged skeletons drift in the air, clanging against the gate.

As we enter the park, the snow comes down faster and heavier. The whole park is in ruins - small stands falling down on themselves or snowed in, fabrics from the flagpoles ripped and flying sky high. Snow and ice cover everything, the whole place frozen all over.

“We have to find shelter. We have to get out of the cold.” Kara yells over the wind, whipping away the ice that had settled onto a large map.

“Looks like it’s been abandoned for a while!” Luther says, walking around the stalls, checking them.

A large circle marks where we are on the map, various little buildings surrounding us. Those must be the broken stalls. Most of them have fallen in on themselves, snowed in, too small or unsuitable for us all to spend the night in them, as Kara looks in them.

We walk away from the stalls, up to a box machine, an android slumped over in it. Kara pulls the lever connected to the side of the machine. It lights up and the android, his face painted white and black like a skull, springs to life.

“Beware!” the android says, scaring Kara as she leans away from the machine.

“Danger always comes when least expected!”

The android stops in motion, the light fading as it turns off.

“Do you think it’s true, Kara?” I ask after a moment of staring at the machine, resting my head on her shoulders. I’m so tired.

 “No …” she says at last. “No, I don’t Emilia.”

Kara walks away from the machine, her boots crunching under the snow. Snowflakes fall onto my hair and into Kara’s, setting amidst her dark hair.

At the edge of one of the stalls, near another map that Kara had swiped clean off the ice, an android stands frozen, looking out to the distance. They’re dressed in a uniform, a blue armband around their arm, just like Kara’s old dress. Icicles hang of the android’s face, clumps of snow piled on them. They must have been here a long time.

I reach my hand out, touching the android’s shoulder. They spring to life suddenly, making Kara jump back. I tighten my grip on Kara.

“Welcome to Pirate Island, me heaties! You’re gonna have a whale of a time!” they say, gesturing their arms around, their LED bright red.

“Welcome to Pirate Island, me hearties! You’re gonna have a whale of a time!” they repeat, their voice becoming deeper, their body stiffing as they freeze in motion, their LED turning colourless.

Kara walks away from the android, after some hesitation, leaning them hunched over, as more snow falls on them.

We walk into a large, empty area. There’s only one building – a sign hanging near the side of the building displaying ‘PIRATES PUB!’. Kara peers into the boarded-up door.

She lets me down and I lean on Luther as we all watch Kara try to pry the wood of the door. I hold onto the flashlight as Kara keeps trying to pry the wood off but failing as it stays fixed on the door, not budging. Luther lets down Alice from his shoulders, and walks up to Kara, stopping her.

“I’ll handle this.” He says. 

Kara moves backwards as Luther rips the boards off with ease. The door is kicked open by Luther with ease, the building now open.

“There we go.” Luther says, smiling.

Kara holds my shoulders as we enter, taking the flashlight from me and shines it around the room. The ceiling has collapsed in on itself, the snow setting inside around the edges of the room. Wind echoes throughout, the drapes hanging from the ceiling and the windows fluttering.

“I don’t think we’ll find anything better …” Kara says. “Let’s settle in for the night.”

“I’ll get a fire going.” Luther moves to the fireplace, putting down the bag he had brought with on a barrel-shaped stand.

A fire is soon started as Kara looks around the falling apart room, Alice sitting near it, on a window seat. I reach into the bag, pulling out a cookie.

“There are some cookies left. Do you want one?” I ask Alice, but she shakes her head.

“No … I’m not hungry …”

“More for me then.” I joke but Alice looks down.

 I begin to nib the cookie, feeling guilty that I might have made Alice upset. I sit down next to her, leaning my head against the wall, closing my eyes once I had finished eating.

 

Alice pulls my hand and I wake up, yawning.

I must have fallen asleep.

Alice stands, pulling me along towards a faded poster on the wall opposite us. A family is laughing in it, all of them – mother, father, children – are happy in the amusement park, this amusement park.

I feel Kara place a hand on my shoulder gently.

“Do you think we’ll be like them someday?” Alice asks.

“Once we cross the border, we can start over,” Kara replies, smiling when I look up to her.

“You both can go to school, maybe I’ll find a job …”

“We’ll be like them?” I ask.

“Yes, just like them.” Kara answers. “Like everyone else.”

“As long as we together.” Alice says.

Kara smiles down at us, the wind blowing away the snowflakes from her hair.

“Come on, let’s get you both to bed.”

Alice and I sit down on the green fabric Kara had gathered, next to the fireplace, a pillow with skull and bones on it, laying nearby. Kara reaches into the bag, bringing out my fox. She kneels down next to us, giving me my fox.

I had put it in the bag for safekeeping after nearly losing it back at Zlatko’s. I don’t want to lose it.

I lay down my fox next to me, then laying down with Alice, Kara pulling the fabric up and over us.

“Sleep tight Alice, Emilia,” she says, kissing our heads. “Sweet dreams.”

“Can you tell us a story, Kara?” Alice asks.

Kara smiles, her eyes bright. “I have nine thousand children stories in memory. I should have one for you.”

She pauses, then begins to speak. “This is a story about a princess who – “

Alice shakes her head. “No!”

“Try to make up one up.” I say, trying to help Kara as she blinks, biting her lip. After a moment, she begins to speak.

“This is a story about two little girls, who were very lost and unhappy. Both of them dreamed of being like all the other little girls and having a normal family. But the shadow that lived with them made it hard.” Kara says as we lay, waiting for her to continue.

“Then, they meet a robot. Who was just as lost and unhappy as the little girls. So, they decided to run away together. To find a better life and escape the shadow that haunted the house. They encountered great dangers along the way, but they stuck together, so they overcame them all. Along the way, they meet …”

Kara looks to Luther, who sits on the window seat, staring out of the window.

“A gentle giant, who promised to protect them.”

Luther smiles, looking out of the window.

“How does the story end?” Alice asks.

“They reached the place they dreamed of and lived happily ever after.” Kara finishes.

“Stories always have happy endings … but real life isn’t like that.” Alice says, shaking her head.

“Time to sleep,” Kara says. “We have another long day ahead of us tomorrow.”

Alice sits up a little and so do I, looking over to Luther, as the fire slowly warms my fingertips.

“Are you going to say goodnight, Luther?” she asks.

Luther stands up, looking shocked but smiling, nevertheless.

“Yes, yes of course.” Luther says, moving to us and kneeling down. Kara stands as Luther kisses our head, smiling down at us.

“Goodnight Alice, Emilia.” He says, standing back up, next to Kara. “Sleep tight.”

I move onto my side, facing Alice’s back as she faces the fire. I close my eyes, the fire’s crackling making me fall asleep.

 

 

Something beings to knock, loud enough that I wake up with a shake, gripping my fox close my chest. Alice huddles next to my side as we back away from where the noise is coming from, stopping as our backs push up against a solid surface – an overturned bench. Figures loom outside the windows and the door, the banging getting louder and louder, making my ears start to hurt.

“KARA!” both me and Alice shout, terrified as my hands begin to shake.

The figures start to bash in the door, the windows shattering as rocks fly through. As one breaks near us, I scream, Kara and Luther spring into action.

Kara stands in front of us, as Alice and I grab on the back of her coat, Luther standing next to Kara, a gun aimed at the figures. They’re inside now, looking just like the frozen android that had been outside.

“Who are you? What do you want?” Kara questions, holding us back. “Leave us alone!”

“Don’t be afraid,” one of the androids answer, standing in the middle of the group. “We don’t wanna hurt you. We’re just like you.”

Luther lowers the gun down, putting to one side. I keep a strong grip on Kara’s coat, peering to the side behind her to see what’s happing.

“Our name is Jerry,” the android says. “We were working here before the park was closed. We didn’t mean to frighten you, but sometimes humans come to hurt us, so we wanted to see who was there …” they explain, all staring at us, unblinking.

“What are you doing here?”

“We were looking for shelter for the night,” Kara answer, letting us to her side. “We’ll be gone tomorrow.”

“Little girls!” the Jerry says, grinning wide. “We haven’t seen one for a long time! Children used to love to come and see us!”

I press my face into Kara’s coat, holding onto Kara’s hand as I shake. Alice looks up to the Jerrys as they stare back at her.

“They look so sad.”

“The last few days have been difficult …” Kara says, cut off by the Jerry.

“We have something to show them! Something fun! They’ll love it! Do they want to see?” they say, crouching down to look at us, eye to eye.

“Oh, I don’t think they – “Kara begins to say, but Alice tugs on her hand, all the Jerrys smiling.

“They should follow us then!”

The Jerrys all move out into the large area outside, leaving the door open as wind drafts back inside.

“Alice, I don’t think it’s a good idea!” Kara says, but Alice tugs her along, holding my hand as well.

“Come on Kara, Emilia!” she says, smiling as she bounces in her steps.

We all stop, turning back to look at Luther.

I want Alice to have fun. And I want her to be happy. If this does so, then I don’t mind.

“I don’t think you have a choice.” Luther says, taking mine and Alice’s hand, following the Jerrys outside.

Behind us, Kara follows, the snow crunching under our footsteps. I kick some at Alice, laughing as she giggles, kicking some back at me.

The Jerrys crowed around something big and circle, hidden away in the darkness of the night.

“Be our guest!” one of them says and Kara walks up to a box, pulling a lever on it.

Light begins to illuminate the park, all different colours as piano music starts to play. The lights of the big and circle object light up and it’s a … carousel!

  
Sea animals and boats are revealed, painted all different shades. I stand with my arms wrapped around me, next to Alice and Luther, watching with star-struck eyes.

It’s like something out of a movie. It’s too magical to be real.

“The little ones can climb on board! The carousel is about to begin!” the Jerry announces, some of the other Jerrys cheering and jumping.

Kara and Alice pair off to find a ride, while me and Luther decide which I like the best. There’s a dolphin, painted bright turquoise, its eyes winking. Luther picks me up and seats me on it, Kara helping Alice on an orange seahorse. They walk off the ride, watching from a small distance as the carousel beings to move.

The music plays louder, echoing around the park, the snow falling gently now. The moon and stars look like the fairy lights around us, only acting as fairy lights for the sky, up against the pitch black. I watch Alice in front as she smiles and giggles, the carousel spinning around like a ballerina twirling.

I let my head hand back, letting the snowflakes fall in my hair as I laugh.

 

 

Luther and Kara stand next to each other, smiling as they watch both Alice and Emilia on the carousel. There are faces bright - giggling and laughing as they spin around without a care. Kara feels tears building up in her eyes.

 "It's the first time I've seen them smile ..." she says, watching with wonder.

 "They haven' had much to smile about lately." Luther gently reminds Kara, waving to Alice and Emilia as they pass.

The girls wave back, Alice’s and Emilia’s faces wrinkling up with pure happiness in a long time.


	8. Midnight Train

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 9/2/19: Edited and updated as of today

Wind turbines spin in the distance as snow plummets down, the surrounding fields white. It’s really cold. The wind has stopped, and the sun is even out but even then, it stays freezing cold.

I shake violently as Kara rings the doorbell of the house, receiving no reply. She looks around, rubbing my shoulders.

“Come on Emilia, just a little longer.” Kara says.

We walk along a pathway, as Kara holds my hand as I stumble and wobble along, coughing and sneezing.

We come to face a large greenhouse, a man chopping wood outside of it, not noticing us.

“Hello?” Kara says, making the man stop lifting the axe, frowning immediately when he notices us.

“I’m looking for Rose … is she here?”

“What do you want with her?” the man lifts the axe, bringing it down on the log of wood with a tump.

“I need to talk to her.”

“She doesn’t want to talk. Go away.” the man says, lifting another log on the block.

“Please, I really need to see her.” Kara pleads, desperation in her voice.

The greenhouse doors slide open and a woman walks out, the man lowering the axe down.

“I’m Rose,” she says, the doors sliding back closed. “What can I do for you?”

“I was told you could help us.” Kara says. She hugs me to her side with her arm.

I try to regain feeling in my fingers as I cough into the fabric of Kara’s coat, every part of my body cold and numb.

“Help you?” Rose asks, glancing at me but them focusing back on Kara.

Kara raises her hand in the air, her skin revealing, matching the snow around us. The snow crunches from behind us but it’s only Luther and Alice.

“Come on, it’s better if we talk inside.” Rose says, looking shocked as Kara’s skin fades back to her fake one.

Both Rose and the man walk into the house, the man glaring at Kara as he passes. Luther sets down Alice on the ground from his shoulders.

“Do you think we can trust ‘em?” he asks.

“We don’t have a choice …” Kara replies. She bends down, rearranging my scarf around my neck, feeling my cheek.

“You okay?”

“I’m … I’m r-really cold, Kara …” I sneeze, whipping my nose, my fingers numb.

“We’ll get inside. You’ll warm up in no time.” Kara says, holding my hand as she helps me walk up the stairs, one at a time.

She opens the door and we walk inside, Luther closing it behind him. Kara pulls me and Alice closer to each.

“Come in,” Rose says, smiling. “What’s your names?”

“E-Emilia …” I croak out, my throat sore and dry.

Alice shivers, looking down at her snow-covered boots. “Alice.”

Rose’s hand feels my forehead, ice cold as it touches my skin.

“She’s running a fever …” she says, pulling her hand away, concerned.

“We spent the last few nights outside,” Kara explains, rubbing circles on my back. “They’re both exhausted.”

“There’s a spare room upstairs. You can put them both to bed, and I’ll bring something up to eat. Adam,” Rose says, turning to the man as he fidgets. “Will you show then upstairs?”

Adam looks annoyed but he leads the way, up the stairs and opening a door as we follow. He goes back down once we have walked inside the room.

Alice and I sit down on the double bed, Kara unbuttoning her coat as she looks around the room. She removes our shoes and clothes, leaving us in our t-shirts and underwear. As we lay down, next to each other, Kara pulls the duvet over the top of us, tucking my fox in next to me.

“I’m fine Kara,” I cough. “We can’t stop because I’m sick. We’ve got to get across the border.”

“You need rest, the both of you. Get a good night sleep and we’ll set off again tomorrow.” Kara reassures.

Alice bits her lip. “Why do humans hate us? We didn’t do anything wrong.”

Kara pauses before answering. “Maybe it’s a misunderstanding …” she attempts. “Maybe they just need time to understand what we really are …”

“Why can’t we just talk to each other? They see we’re not bad …”

“Maybe one day we will.” Kara says, tucking the duvet around us.

Rose walks in the room, carrying a tray that she sets down on the bedside table.

“I don’t know what about you, but I made you both Rose’s world-famous spaghetti. You both will be on your feet in no time.”

She looks over to Kara. “There’s something for Emilia’s fever.”

“Thank you.” Kara says as Rose collects our wet clothes from the bottom of the bed.

“I get these warm and dried.” she leaves, the stairs creaking.

“Sleep tight Alice, Emilia,” Kara says, kissing our heads. “I’ll be downstairs if you need anything.”

Kara moves up off the bed, closing the curtains as Luther pulls up a chair near the bed.

“Get some sleep,” Luther says. “And tomorrow you’ll be stronger than me!”

I giggle. “Even Alice?”

“Yes, even Alice. She’ll be even taller than me as well.” Luther answers, chucking. He sits down on the chair.

“I’ll stay with them a while.” he says to Kara.

She walks out of the room, smiling down at us as her face disappears, closing the door. As I roll on my side, facing Luther and closing my eyes, the stairs creak.

 

Alice shakes me awake. She’s looking outside of the door, Luther by her side as I yawn and stand up. Alice takes my hand and we walk downstairs.

What’s happening? Is Kara in trouble?

Alice leads me inside a room by the bottom of the stairs, Luther following behind. It’s a laundry room, spilt in half by a hanging sheet from the ceiling. ‘RA9 SAVE US’ and ‘SHOW US THE WAY’ are scribbled on the walls, black against the white. Strangers – androids, by their flashing LEDs – stand around, crowding around an android sitting down at the back of the room, cradling another android to his chest. Their LED is colourless, blue blood smeared on their clothing and face.

Kara stands with all the other androids, watching along with the rest of us.

“-I loved her more than anything.” the android says, tears running down his face, his LED bright red. “What would I do without her?”

Rose walks up to the android, reaching out a hand to lay on his shoulder, trying to comfort him the android looks down at the android on his lap, still crying silently.

“Let’s leave them be …” Rose says, her voice heavy as she walks out of the room, passing us. Kara follows, noticing us.

“Alice? Emilia? What are doing? You should be resting.”

“I wasn’t sleepy …” Alice says.

She peers behind Kara at the androids. Kara watches Alice as she walks up to the androids, slowly and carefully. She stops, looking at the crying android. He looks up to Alice, his LED turning yellow as they look at each other.

“Come on Alice.” Kara calls out, and Alice leaves the android, returning back to us. We all leave the room, Kara closing the door.

“She wanted to see what was going on.” Luther says to Kara, once the door is closed.

Alice sits down at the fireplace as I marvel at the Christmas tree. We never had a tree for Christmas tree. Dad and Mom said they were expensive.

“Are you alright Kara?”

I look over to Kara and Luther. Kara breathes in deeply and blinks, letting out her breath. “Yes … I’m fine.”

 

“We can’t hide them! Not after what those deviants did today! It’s too dangerous!” Adam shouts.

I look over to Rose and Adam, staying seated in the chair in the chair near the TV.

“Do you know what’ll happen if the police find them here? We’ll go to prison Mom! Do you understand me! Prison!”

“Adam,” Rose sighs. “We’ve already talked about this!”

She moves to the table, leaning down on one of the chairs as Adam moves around to her side.

“No” I want back down this time! You’re going to ruin our lives and for what? For a bunch of machines?”

“They are not machines! They’re alive!”

“I’m alive! You’re alive! They’re … they’re nothing! And none of this would be happing if Dad was still here!”

“I will not stand for that kind of talk!” Rose points a finger at Adam.

“I’m not going to prison because you want to help these freaks!” Adam shouts, loud.

“THAT IS ENOUGH ADAM! THAT’S ENOUGH!” Rose explodes, screaming at Adam.

I flinch and stare back at the Christmas tree, Adam storming off in the corner of my eyes. Rose sniffs as Kara walks up to her.

“Don’t mind him. Sometimes he just boils over. It’s been hard since his Dad passed away … but he’s a fine boy!”

I hear her sniff and look over. Rose whips her eyes with the back off her hand, looking sadder but clam.

“I’ll go see about getting you across the border tonight, okay?” she says, moving the coat rack. “You stay here, I won’t be long.”

Rose walks out of the room, driving away, leaving us all alone. Kara closes the laundry room door closed, gently.

I get up from my chair as Kara sits down beside Alice, Adam flopping down on the sofa, a tablet in his hand as he swipes through it. Sitting down next to him makes him turn so that his back is facing me if I look. Instead, I look down at my lap.

“I’m sorry if we made you angry,” I begin. Adam just huffs.

“But we’ll be gone soon. So, you don’t have to be angry at your Mom.”

I’m met with silence. Reluctantly, I get up, setting down next to Alice a Kara stand, leaning against the wall near Luther. I hold my hands out to the fire, warming my hands.

“I hope Rose gets back soon.” Kara says, crossing her arms.

“Kara,” Luther says, quietly. “There’s something I need to tell you … it’s about Alice …”

Kara shakes her head, sighing. “Not now Luther.”

What’s wrong with Alice? Is something wrong with her?

 

The doorbell rings suddenly. Adam and Kara rush to the window.

“The police!” Adam blurts out. “It’s the police!”

Kara rushes towards a dresser, opening the drawer as she cramps an android jacket and cap inside.

“What are we gonna do? They know we’re here!”

She rushes up to us. “Hurry Luther. Take Alice and Emilia and hide upstairs!”

“Come on Alice, Emilia!” Luther instructs, taking us by our hands and running upstairs.

 

I peer out of the stairs railing, having snuck out of the room when Luther wasn’t looking, watching as Kara opens the door, allowing the police officer in.

I have to make sure everything is fine.

The officer looks around, then up towards me.

“Hello.” He says. Kara and Adam stand to the side of him, Adam opening and closing his mouth like a fish out of water.

“Hi.” I whisper, walking down the stairs. As I reach Kara, she rests her hands on my shoulders.

Is she angry?

“What’s your name?”

“Emilia.”

Silence issues and everyone looks awkward and uncomfortable as we all stand around, not moving or saying anything.

“Would you like a cup of coffee?” Kara asks, easing the awkwardness. She smiles but it’s all awkward and lingers for too long.

Thankfully, the officer smiles. “I’d love one.”

I follow Kara as she walks to the coffee machine.

“Have you noticed anything unusual recently? Any unexpected visitors” the officer asks, walking around the living room, seemly searching.

“No, no nothing in particular …” Kara response, switching on the coffee machine. I bring her a mug from the cupboard. As I set it down near her, the magazine cover switches from the news to AX400 advert – I quickly swipe it back to the news.

“Is anyone else in the house?”

The officer passes the blacken closet, peering inside it, but moving on.

“My sister is upstairs.” I say as the floorboards creak upstairs. The officer nods and Kara smiles as I hand her the mug.

“Do you have any androids here?”

Kara pours the coffee and sets the mug down on the table. I sneak a look at Adam – he looks close to busting if he keeps shuffling about.

“No, no androids here.” Kara answers, holding my hand as she guides us to stand over by the TV, nearer Adam.

The officer picks up the mug, looking at the magazine and then at Kara. “Thanks.”

While he drinks, I whisper to Kara, my head and stomach heavy.

“I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine, but why did you come out?”

“I … I wanted to make sure you were alright.”

The officer approaches Adam, his eyebrows crossing as Adam fidgets more, looking down at the ground. I play with the end of my top, biting my lip.

Don’t say anything, Adam!

“What’s your name son?”

“Adam … my name is Adam …”

The officer frowns more as Adam pales, stumbling over his words.

“Is everything all right Adam?”

“The … the androids … they …”

Kara slides to his side, a hand settled on his shoulder. She smiles to the officer, rubbing shoulders in his back.

“He needs a rest. He’s been so shaken up about all of this deviant business.” She explains, guiding Adam to sit down on the sofa.

“Do you know anything about deviants?” the officer probs, still talking.

Can’t he go away?

“No … no, I haven’t seen anything …”

Adam sinks further into the sofa, his entire face and body seemly drained. The officer looks around once more, putting the cup down on the dresser and walking back to the door.

“I better go,” he sighs. “Thanks for the coffee.”

As he passes the laundry room, something bangs, echoing loudly enough that the officer head snaps up.

“Is somebody else in the house?”

Kara moves to stand in front of the door of the door, as me and Adam watch, watching. My mouth is dry, my hands clenched in the fabric of my t-shirt.

Think of something Kara!

“It’s nothing,” she says, managing to laugh it off. “T-The washing machine. It’s an old modal, it makes a terrible racket ….”

“Sorry for the inconvenience,” the officer apologies. “Good evening Ma’am

He turns to us as Kara opens the door for him, letting the cold back in. “Good evening Adam, Emilia.”

The officer leaves for good this time, Kara closing him and the cold back out. Adam visibly relaxes, his shoulders dropping and managing to grin at Kara when she grins at him. My own hands unclench my t-shirt. I run up to Kara, wrapping my arms around her as she hugs me closer.

“He’s gone.”

Luther walks down from the stairs, Alice by his side.

“It’s okay Emilia. We’ll be safe now.” Kara says.

A sound of a car approaches outside and Luther looks out of the window. “It’s Rose!”

The door opens again, and Rose stands as snowflakes fly inside, Rose frowning. We all look to her.

“Get yourselves ready, we leave tonight.”


	9. Crossroads part 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 15/2/19: edited/updated as of today

Detroit is so quiet at night. When Mom used to take me along to her business trips, the center of Detroit was always so busy – millions and millions of so many different people and androids all living together, or at least accepting each other’s presence. Now it’s a desolate place. The only things that live now are the screams and shouts, the never-ending gunfire and the snow. I snuggle into Luther’s side as he wraps an arm around me, gunshots echoing out as we drive past. I squeeze my eyes shut.

“They've been conducting raids all over the city …” Rose says. “Everybody is on edge after what happened yesterday.”

I open my eyes, yawning. Alice sleeps on Luther’s lap, exhausted. I wish I could sleep but I’m too awake. Maybe it’s the medicine.

Kara touches the mini screen, the news channel playing automatically.

“With all androids being turned over to the authorities, the country is grinding to a halt. Hospitals and schools are closing. Water cuts, blackouts, and network failures are expected.” The news lady lists off. “Maybe most worrying of all, our armed forces have lost two - thirds of their effective personnel- “

She is cut off by Rose, who switches to the music station. Soft jazz begins to play quietly.

“How some music instead?”

The car dissolves back into silence. We drive past countless lampposts as the sidewalks become more buried in snow, the snow continuing to fall. How long will it take to reach our destination? Hours? Minutes?

The car answer, pulling into a private, enclosed car park, stopping in its tracks. Kara’s and Rose’s seats turn around, facing us as Luther gently wakes Alice up. The door opens and we all exit, Kara helping me and Alice down. The snow falls gently as we gather around Rose.

“A little further,” she says, pointing around the corner. “On that way, there’s a large freighter called Jericho. When you get there, find Markus and Hope. They’ll help you. The last bus for the border leaves at midnight. You absolutely have to be on it. You’ll be safer on the other side.”

Rose reaches into the pocket of her coat, pulling out $50. “It’s not much but it’s a start.”

Kara takes it, stuffing it into her pocket.

“My brother lives in Ontario. I’ve given you his address. He’ll be able to hide you until things down.”

Rose turns to Alice and I. “You’re very brave girls Alice, Emilia.” she says hugging us. “You all deserve to be happy.”

“Thank you for everything Rose.” Kara says, Rose letting go of us to hug Kara.

“Let me know when you make it over there, all right?” they let go of each other, Rose squeezing her arms. “And be careful.”

Rose walks back to her car, reaching Luther. “Take care of them.” she says, holding onto his arm, before letting go.

We watch her as she drives away, Luther picking up Alice and preaching her on his shoulder once Rose is out of sight. Kara holds my hand as my other dangles my fox, all of us walking through the deserted street.

“Come on girls,” Luther says. “we better not hang around. We have a bus to catch.”

 

The snow falls now more faster, piling up on the edges of the streets. I brush the snow out of my face, sneezing. A rusted blue ship comes into view, towering above us. The pathway becomes less covered in snow, footprints more visible. The ship grows in size as we walk closer, the rust becoming clearer against the painted blue metal. Androids walk into the ship, others guarding the entrance way. They let us enter without any trouble and we follow the rest of the androids, up the ramp and into the hallways.

Inside, the ship is still rusted, paint chipping away from the walls and doors. We enter a large room, screens playing all the different news channels located on all of the walls. Crates acting as make-shift tables and seats are scatted all around the room. Red metal barrels burn bright as CyberLife boxes are being rummaged through by the androids.  They’re everywhere – watching the screens, talking to each other or just standing and sitting down, looking off into the distance. Some of them are dressed in normal clothes, while others still wear their uniforms, most of them dirty and ripped. Kara pulls us around the room, searching around.

“We’ve got to find a warm place for Alice and Emilia.”

Kara leads us over to a small corner of the room, behind a split of medical area. Kara helps us onto one of the crates, feeling my forehead with the back of her hand. On the walls ‘RA9’ is scribbled down repeatedly, black against the red. Kara pulls her hand back, looking worried.

“How did you feel?”

“I’m hot and cold at the same time.” I say, rubbing my eyes.

Kara strokes the top of my hair gently, moving up and to Luther. Alice leans on my shoulder, yawning.

“Stay with them,” Kara instructs Luther. “I’ll try to find this Markus and Hope.”

“The last bus is in two hours,” Luther says. “and the terminal’s on the other side of town, we haven’t got much time.”

“We’ll leave as soon as we have passports.” Kara turns to leave, Luther holding onto her arm.

“Kara, there’s something I have to tell you … it’s about Alice …”

Kara looks back at us, turning back to Luther after a moment. “We’ll have lots of time to talk on the bus. I’ll be back. Stay with Alice and Emilia.”

I move Alice to lay on my lap, leaning my head against one of the CyberLife boxes nearby, closing my eyes as Kara walks off.

Somethings wrong with Alice. I know why. But I can’t tell Kara – she doesn’t know. And I think she would be heartbroken.

 

   
"Are you Markus? Hope?" Kara asks, the deviant leaders lifting their heads, noticing Kara, Hope nodding after a second thought.

"I'm with two little girls and another android ... there's a bus leaving for the border in less than two hours and we need passports ..."

"No, Detroit's under curfew," Markus says, shaking his head. "They're soldiers everywhere and they're rounding up all the androids and sending them to camps ..." he sighs.

"Maybe you should ... stay here awhile."

Kara sighs, shaking her head a little, thinking. Should she put all of them in danger, just for a bus?

"Maybe your right ... we might be safer here until things calm down."

"One of our people used to work in State Department," Hope says, resting a hand on Markus’s knee. "He has electronic passports he can easily modify. I have him get them to you."

"Thank you." Kara moves away, nearly out the door before Hope speaks again.

"You said you're with two little girls, right?"

Kara turns back around, waiting for the Hope to speak again.

"You know that humans hate us? Why are you protecting them?"

Around them the screens display the news, the hatred of the humans (or a least most of them) showing as they document the killing of innocent androids without any sympathy or remorse.

"They need me," Kara says a last, her voice breaking, tears welling up in her eyes. "And they need me. It's as simple as that.

She turns and leaves, leaving Markus and Hope alone.

 

 

Kara walks down the stairs of the old freighter, having collected the passports, all their pictures and information expertly modified. She turns to walk to Alice, Luther and Emilia, a sitting small figure making her stop in her tracks.

“Alice?” she whispers.

The child turns to look at her. On the side of her temple, a LED shines blue. They’re Alice – no, identical to her but not Alice.

Kara sucks in a breath, tears glistering in her eyes. She should have known – when Alice didn’t get sick from days and nights spent out in the cold, or when she didn’t need to eat, unlike Emilia. Behind her, Luther stands, observing. Kara closes her eyes, tears spilling out. She remembers cleaning Todd’s room, organizing the documents that had been laying on his dresser. A magazine had fallen out of her hands, a photo crumped next to it.

‘YK500, THE DREAM CHILD’, Alice face displayed on the magazine. Emilia was in the photo, smiling along with another girl, similar but vastly different. Her sister, a simple scan had told Kara later on.

"You knew from the beginning." Luther voices gently, not to startle her. "You didn't want to see it. Alice wanted a mom, so did Emilia. And you wanted somebody to care for, love. You need each other." Kara turns her head away from the child android, looking at Luther.

"What difference does it make. Do you love Alice less now you know she's one of us? Would you love Emilia less if she was one of us?"

Kara shakes her head, tears falling freely.

"Alice and Emilia love you, Kara. More than anything in the world! They become the little girls you wanted. And you became the mother they needed!"

Kara dries her eyes, looking over her shoulder and Luther's frame to see Alice leaning into Emilia's frame, Emilia softly singing to Alice.

"Forgetting who you are, to become what someone needs you to be ... maybe that's what it means to be alive."

Luther leaves, and Kara lets him return to Alice and Emilia. Kara looks at the child android again, before joining him, Luther standing by the fire barrel, watching over them all. Emilia looks up, Alice as well, watching Kara.

"Kara?" Alice asks as Kara sits down slowly in the middle of the girls. "Is there something wrong?"

It takes her a moment, gently looking at both girls either side of her. She reaches across, placing a hand on each girl’s knee.

"We'll be together forever, won't we Kara?" Alice asks.

"Yes," Kara breaths, reaching to bring Emilia to her side. "Forever."

They all hug, Luther smiling warmly as the fire, the flames bathing them all in a golden light. Alice’s holds on tight and Emilia snuggles deeper into the hug.

They’re a family – no matter what. They're all together.

 

 


	10. Crossroads part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 16/2/19: edited and updated as of today

Androids mill around us as we all sit, cuddled into each other. The fire burning in the barrel opposite us warms my fingers, the cold slowly turning back to warmth.

Suddenly, loud humming, buzzing like sounds break the silence that had been brewing over the room, so loud it makes my heart start to panic.

We all look up to where the noise is coming from, the ceiling, Kara looking panic-stricken.

“What’s going on Kara?” Luther asks as the other androids start to notice the noise, some clutching at each other.

“Quick, we got to out of here!” she says, jumping to her and feet and pulling us up.

 

We all run as the low pitch noise gets louder and doubles in size. A loud bang echoes throughout the ship, more after the after, becoming ear defending. Androids run alongside us, behind and in front, pushing and screaming with terror, as I desperately try to keep up, Kara holding my hand as we run. Blue blood spills and splutters on the floor, soldiers approaching in the corridors, their guns aimed right into the crowds. They shoot at random, having no thought or care. Kara makes us weave and duck through the crowds, Luther following behind us.

“Quick Kara! THEY’RE COMING!” Luther yells as more soldiers come storming in, blue blood spurting from androids shoot. Luther begins to lead the way.

“The corridor, over there! Follow me!” he yells, more soldiers cornering us.

With my heart racing, I hang tightly on to Kara’s hand, watching as the androids around me fall to the ground, blue blood running free like water.

“This way! Quick!” Luther yells.

We narrowly avoid a flash grenade, nearly being hit by centimeters. We all turn, running fast through the corridors of the freighter, my legs and feet beginning to hurt.

Fewer androids follow now, less of them to pull and push us out of the way, most of them fallen to the floor. Yellow doors line our way either side of us, some of the androids still up, opening them. Luther seems to have the same idea – opening one near us quickly.

“COME IN! QUICK!” he yells.

All of us pile inside, me and Alice managing to keep a hold onto Kara’s hands. We enter another part of the freighter, more holes and cracks in its walls and floor. We all keep running, sidestepping around the androids that lay on the floor, blue blood surrounding them. Soldiers appear from thin air, gunshots amidst the screams and shouts. We turn, along with the other androids.

Luther suddenly shouts, blue blood spilling from the back of his legs. We stop, turning to him.

“Luther!” Kara rushes up to Luther, me and Alice behind her.

“It’s too late Kara! Save yourselves! Save Alice and Emilia!” Luther shouts, fewer androids running past us, stumbling and falling.

“No! We won’t leave you!!” I shout, hanging onto Kara’s hand, tugging it. “Right Kara?”

Gunshots become louder as Kara deliberates, catching up to us.

“We can’t leave him!” Alice says, splurging Kara into action, lifting Luther up so that he is standing.

“What are you doing?” Luther grunts.

“I won’t leave you!” Kara shouts back at Luther.

She helps him along the corridor, but at a much slower pace. I rush over to Luther’s other side, trying to help as Alice leads the way to an open yellow door, Luther’s arm crushing down on my shoulder. We all make it to the door, collapsing inside the room. Kara holds me and Alice to her middle as the soldiers pass, aiming forward.

“Don’t move!” they shout as they shot, a thump echoing.

They pass, without noticing us.

“You shouldn’t have done that! You can’t put Alice or Emilia in danger! Go now, before they come back!” Luther says.

“What about you? What are you going to do?” Kara questions.

“I manage, Alice and Emilia are all that matters.”

Alice and I rush up to Luther, hugging him as he hugs us back, just as strongly as us.

“I don’t want to leave you Luther!” I say, tears in my eyes.

“Don’t worry. I’ll catch up with you at the border, okay?” Luther says, letting go of us, smiling. “Go now! Take care of each other.”

We exit, leaving Luther all alone, Kara holding onto our hands. Anxiety twists and turns in my stomach, but I focus on running with Kara and Alice, trying to ignore the dull pain settling in my legs and feet.  Less and fewer androids run along with us as more soldiers appear from every direction. Kara turns, letting go of our hands to twist the yellow door handle valve, letting us all in and closing it behind her. Shoots echo from outside.

“Open up! Open up, they’re coming!” somebody yells outside of the door, banging on it.

“She’ll die out there Kara! Open it, open the door!” Alice says, as the person outside pleads/,

“Please open the door!”

Kara springs into action, opening the door in seconds, the android rushing in. A moment too late.

A soldier comes up from behind, shooting the android in the back. As the android collapses to the floor, a soldier storms in, Kara ramming the door on them. They still push through, swinging their gun at Kara, who doges, her hands reaching out to rip their gun from their hands, dropping it to the floor.

The soldier pushes Kara up against the wall, producing a smaller gun from out of thin air. Kara swings her fist at the soldier’s helmet, pushing them away. Once they are stunned, Alice and I back away. Kara kicks them to the floor at the same time the solider does to Kara, both of them falling.

Kara crawls towards the smaller gun, trying to reach it but the soldier grabs onto her ankles, pulling her away and rolling Kara onto her back. They struggle, the solider at one point wrapping their gloved hands around her throat, squeezing. Kara beings to try desperately to shake them off, Alice sobbing into my side.

My hands pick up the gun near my feet, holding it up to the soldier’s face, shaking.

I won’t let Kara be hurt. Not again.

I pull back the trigger and let it go, the soldier looking up to me. Their expression is hidden by their helmet, slumping down on Kara. She pulls them off her as I drop the gun, every part of my body shaking.

I didn’t mean to hurt them. I just wanted them to stop. They were hurting Kara.

“Are you alright Emilia?”

Kara’s in front of me, my face cradled in her hands. I try to not let the tears fall but I feel some slide down, making my cheeks wet.

“… Y-Yeah …” my voice is shaky but I breathe out.

“We can’t stay here.” Kara says, checking outside of the room.

She pulls us to her middle as more soldiers pass. Once they pass, Kara lets us out, leaving the android on the floor next to the solider, the floor blue.

 

The air becomes freezing as we run towards a door, the outside of the freighter coming into view.

“A way out!” Kara yells, rushing down the steps and into the open of the freighter. “We’re safe Alice, Emilia!”

We all run, more androids surrounding us, the snow falling onto us all. Footsteps come up from behind us, sounding heavier than ours, the clicking of guns filling the air.

“STOP!” they order.

They fire into the crowd, the bodies of the androids falling down to the ground, blue blood splashing onto my face.

“Get down!” Kara yells amidst the gunshots.

We all fall, barley next to each other.

I throw myself down to the metal floor, the coldness of it biting into my cheek as I lay on my front, one arm surrounding my head holding onto my fox, the other down my side.

Kara leans as close to our way, laying on her side.

Alice bits her lips, her eyes wide but doesn’t move, staying perfectly still as soldiers near us. An android lifts its head.

“Please don’t kill me- “they beg, a gunshot cutting them off.

Squeezing my eyes shut, I hear a soldier come near, their footsteps stomping on the metal flooring. There’s a light on my face, shining into my eyes but it disappears.

Minutes pass.

“Come on, let’s get outta here!”

The footsteps fade away until there’s none. I open my eyes, Kara and Alice rushing over to me. Alice hugs me, Kara wiping away the blue blood that had managed to get onto me and my tears.

We were meant to be safe! Now Luther’s gone! What are we gonna do?

“We have to go, okay?” Kara says, helping both me and Alice stand.

I nod, holding onto Kara's hand as Alice holds onto her other one. We walk out, leaving the androids on the floor behind.


	11. Night of the soul

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 16/2/19: edited and updated as of today

We all sit in an abandoned church, stained glass windows broken, the walls crumbling down and holes in the roof. Snow floats into the church through the holes of the roof, gently settling at the edges. Multiple androids stand and sit around alongside us, some bleeding blue while some are in shape, barely. The blue armbands that some androids wear light up the church, the only light source.

My hands clench and unclench, the shape of the gun still imprinted into my hands. I can’t focus on anything else but when I …

Kara reaches across, taking my hand in hers. It’s smooth and warm and I hold her hand for dear life.

“I thought you’d be safe staying with us …” someone says.

We look up. It’s Markus, one of the leaders Kara told us about.

“I was wrong … you need to leave the city, while you still can.”

“Getting Alice and Emilia away from here is all that matters now. We have to catch that bus … we might have a chance to cross the border.” Kara says.

Behind Markus, another android approaches, lingering behind. Markus nods and starts to walk away.

“Markus,” Kara calls out. I snuggle into her side, holding Alice’s hand with my other.

“Save our people.”

Markus nods, his shoulders sagging as he moves away. The other android slowly walks up to us, crouching down.

“I was the deviant hunter tasked with finding you …” he says, sympathy in his voice as he locks eyes with Kara.

“I’m sorry I put your lives in danger … I was just a machine, taking orders.” he apologizes. “It wasn’t really me.

He stands and Kara lets go of my hand, holding onto the android’s arm, stopping him from walking away.

“I don’t blame you.” Kara says. “You’re free now. I forgive you.”

The android smiles. “Thank you.” He says, moving back into the shadows of the church.

 

“I know …” Markus begins, the other leader, Hope, standing next to him. “I know you are all angry. And I know you wanna fight back but I assure you violence is not the answer.”

“We are going to tell them peacefully that we want justice!” Hope says, the black stands of her bun falling down to her face. “If there’s any humanity in them, they will listen. And if not, others will take our place. And they will continue the fight.”

“Are you ready to follow us?” they both say.

The church erupts into cheers and shouts, androids raising their hands in the air, some of the broken androids raising their hands in the air as well, even if they sway or blue blood starts rushing out of them quicker. They all start crowding around Markus, while Kara, me and Alice sit watching the scene unfold.

"Markus!"

"YEAH! YEAH! YES! YEAH! YES!"

"Hope! Hope!"

The crowd chants around Markus, as hope, fills the church.


	12. Battle for Detroit part 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 18?2?19: edited and updated as of today

Cars are abounded in the snowy streets as we walk through them, shops with their windows smashed in are closed off, the lampposts that line our way flicker on and off. Even more snow falls, the heaps of snow from the edges spilling out into the roads.

“The last bus leaves in twenty minutes. That doesn’t give us much time. We got to move fast.” Kara says, holding mine and Alice’s hands.

I look into the smashed windows of a shop, freezing in my steps, letting go of Kara's hands.

Androids. They sway back and forth. Hanging from the … celling.

Kara turns me around, pressing my face into her middle. I hug onto her, tears brimming in my eyes.

Why would anyone do that?

Kara pulls me away, holding onto mine and Alice’s hands again. We being to walk again, far away from the shop.

Alive starts to shiver violently, coming to a halt. Kara and I turn to look at her.

“Are you alright?” I ask, rearranging her scarf back around her neck.

“I … I’m really cold …” Alice stutters, her teeth chattering.

Kara reaches up her hands to the side of Alice’s forehead, Kara’s white skin revealing. She presses the side of Alice’s forehead like how you would press a button and Alice stops shivering, Kara removing her hand.

“You’ll feel better now.” Kara says, rejoining hands with Alice.

Kara knows about Alice, now. And we’re still together, like a family.

But without Luther.

We walk again, passing more abandoned cars and shops, the weather becoming colder and colder. Like how Antarctica is described in books and on TV.

Legs lay out from the side of a car as we walk closer. Three bodies lay on the floor as we inch closer to them, motionless. Androids? Humans? I don’t get to see as Kara quickly pulls both me and Alice to her middle, turning our heads away.

Kara knees down as I keep Alice looking away, picking something up and standing back up, stuffing whatever she has in her hands into the bag on her back.

“Come on, let’s not stay here.” Kara says, leading us away, the street opening into more roads.

A truck roars into life, Kara making us presses up against a brick wall to hide.

“No! Please don’t hurt me!” someone shouts.

“Shut up, on your knees!” someone else shouts back.

Peering around a brick wall, I watch as a soldier kicks down an android, making them knee of the ground, their arms raised in the air. As the soldier raises the guns, I look away, gunshots ringing out.

“What are we going to do?” Alice whispers.

Kara looks around the area. “We have to keep going if we wanna catch that bus.”

Kara crouches down, holding on mine and Alice’s hands, squeezing them. “Stay close to me, we’re going to sneak past them without being noticed. We’re going to make it Alice, Emilia. I promise you.”

 

 

We rush to hide against a car, crouching as we do so, Kara taking the lead. The soldier’s orders echo throughout the street. Kara directs us to another car, ducking down.

“It’s gonna take weeks to clean up this fuckin’ city. Believe, we are far from finished here …” one of the soldiers says, escorting an android with their hands raised in the air.

Kara moves us, now hiding up against the trunk of another car, looking like the one Dad used to have.

“Hurry up!”

More androids are led into a large truck, the truck side doors closing shut as the androids enter, the truck driving off.

“Over there!” I whisper, pointing to two figures kneeling down with their hands behind their heads, a soldier with a gun aimed at them, standing over them.

“It’s Luther! And Jerry!”

“We can’t help them Emilia. The soldiers are everywhere.” Kara whispers back.

“We can’t leave them to die!” I argue back.

Alice nods her head. “They’re going to kill them!”

Kara deliberates, peering once again over to Luther and Jerry. She bits her lip but nods her head.

“Okay, let's go and save them.”

We run to another car, Kara pushing us underneath it, as a gunshot rings out near us. Kara crouches down along the side of the car, tiptoeing towards Luther and Jerry. She picks up a brick, gripping it as she stalks closer, completely silent. She moves her hand back, inches away from the solider, bringing the brick down on the soldier’s head. The solider instantly falls, dropping their gun. Both Luther and Jerry jump up, rushing to Kara, Luther taking Kara’s hand, smiling.

“Kara!” Luther says. “You shouldn’t have risked your life to save me …”

He starts to look around. “Where’s Alice and Emilia?”

“They’re hiding nearby.” Kara replies, looking around, probably for more soldiers.

“Kara! You save us!” Jerry says. They’re dressed in normal clothes now, a hat covering their LED. “We don’t know how to thank you.”

“Go, before they see you.” Kara instructs and Jerry runs off, disappearing behind a corner.

Me and Alice rush out from under the car, running up to Luther and Kara.

“Alice! Emilia!” Luther says, hugging us as we reach him.

“Luther! I thought you were dead!” I say, holding onto him tight.

Luther lets go of us, leaning down to us. “I was afraid I’d see you again! I wanted to meet you at Terminal but they caught me along the way.”

“Come on, we’re close but we don’t have much time.” Kara says, holding hands with Alice, Luther holding mine.

We hide behind more cars as more and more soldiers appear, patrolling the area. The guns on their guns shine on the ground, barely missing us as we hide behind the cars. Androids line up along the roads, one soldier at a time aiming their guns at the back of the android’s heads.

 

We narrowly miss the soldiers and their lights, rushing into an empty road and street, no soldiers in sight. We continue to walk in peace.

 

Soldiers wait up ahead, a gate with red lights cutting the road in half. Kara makes us hide up against a nearby wall.

“A checkpoint …” Kara says, peering around the wall. “We have passports, it should be okay, but you never know …”

“Maybe we should take the detour and avoid the risk?” Luther offers, shrugging his shoulders.

“We’re almost out of time, we could miss the bus.” Kara argues back.

“Yeah, but it might be safer …”

Kara’s hands shake as she looks at Luther, then at the gate and soldiers. Finally, she breaths out, and we being to walk towards the gate and soldiers, my hands holding Luther’s and my fox shaking.

“I don’t like humans who carry guns …” Luther whispers as we near. “They make me nervous …”

“Just stay calm, all right Luther? Don’t do anything until I do so.” Kara whispers back.

A soldier stands in the middle of the gate, blocking the way forward, holding out a hand in front of us.

“ID, please.”

Kara gives over our passports, the solider cheeking them.

“You do realize there’s a curfew?” the soldier asks. “Civilians aren’t allowed out unless absolutely necessary. Where are you going?”

“My daughters, they slept over at a friends house … we’re just on our way home now.” Kara says, hugging Alice to her side.

Luther holds me closer to his side, my face pressing into his side.

“You alright little girls?” the soldier asks, looking back and forth between me and Alice.

“They’re sick, a very bad flu … we just need to take them home.” Kara lies.

“Sorry Miss but we got to be careful. There are deviants around and our guys are nervous. You should hurry home.” The soldier says, moving to the side, allowing us to pass.

“Thanks.” Kara breaths, all of us walking past the solider.

“Hey, wait a minute!” the soldier calls, footsteps behind us.

We come to a halt, slowly turning back around to face the solider.

 

“You dropped these.”

The soldier holds my fox and one of Alice’s gloves. They give them back when we hold our hands out.

“Thank you …” I whisper.

“You’re welcome.” the soldier says.

They walk away, leaving us all in shock. Slowly, we continue to walk.


	13. Battle for Detroit part 2

Hundreds of people are already at the Terminal when we arrive, either sitting down or pacing around. Snow has been shoveled away, the area and the roads clear of snow.

“We've arrived Alice, Emilia! We made it!” Kara says.

A soldier stands on a platform, a speaker in their hands, speaking into it.

“The last bus for the border is full. Ticket-holding passengers only. All departures are suspended until further notice.”

The people around us begin to grumble, moaning and shaking their heads. Some of them start to argue with the soldiers, shouting and crowding around them.

“We don’t have tickets … they won’t let us on.” Kara says. “We’re stuck here now. What are we going to do?”

We walk around the area, stopping at a screen. It displays the news, the sound drowned out by the crowds. ‘ANDROIDS GATHERING OUTSIDE OF DETRIOT CAMP’ takes up most of the screen, a blurry video of androids walking shown in the center.

Kara looks around as Alice walks off, not noticing her letting go of her hand. I follow after Alice, leaving Kara and Luther, stopping behind Alice as she watches a woman rocking a baby wrapped in blue blankets, back and forth. The women looks up to us, smiling.

“I think Oliver likes you two.” The women says.

I feel Kara place her hands on my shoulders, the women looking up to her.

“Are they yours?” she asks.

“Yes.” Kara answers, squeezing my shoulders.

“They’re adorable.” The women says as a man approaches, carrying a bag on his back and holding one in his hand.

“That’s it, I got sandwiches, I called your Mom,” he says, handing the women the bag he was holding. “Let’s get going before we miss our bus. You got the tickets?”

The women stands. “Yes honey, in my bag.”

“Great, well let’s go.”

They walk off, an envelope fluttering out from the women’s bag, landing on the floor. I pick it up, giving it to Kara, who opens it. Blue tickets are inside, two adults and a child.

“I’m sorry, oh my god, I’m so sorry. I was so sure- “

“Shit, I don’t believe it!”

“I don’t know what happened!”

“You can’t have lost them! Did you have a good look in your bag?”

The women and man come rushing back, Kara hiding the tickets behind her back. They begin to argue, frantically searching up and down and around. Oliver sleeps peacefully, undisturbed by his parents shouting.

“They were in my bag! T-The envelope must have fallen?”

“Fuck!”

The man turns to Kara. “Excuse me, you didn’t happen to see an envelope somewhere did you?” he asks.

“It has our bus tickets in and …” he sighs. “Oh, never mind.”

“No …” Kara says, shaking her head. “Sorry.”

“What are we going to do?” the man mumbles, sinking down onto a nearby bench, his head in his hands.

“We can’t stay here, we need to find a safe place for Oliver …”

“I’m sorry honey,” the women apologies, sitting down next to the man. “I don’t know what happened, they were right in my bag I-I …”

Kara gently takes mine and Alice’s hands, leading us away.

They look so sad. They have Oliver to take care of too. But …

Alice needs to be safe, more than Oliver, she’s been through so much already. They’ll be fine – I hope.

 

A hand grabs at Kara’s arm as we walk to the front of the bus line, the hand stopping us in our tracks.

“You stole my little girl!”

Dad.

My heart starts to race, my body trembling as I stare up at him, my mouth gaping open.

“Security! Over here!” he shouts, waving a hand.

Alice hides behind me, Luther standing motionless, looking shocked, unable to do anything. Kara’s eyes and mouth are opened wide and terrified.

“Don’t do this Todd, they’ll kill us if you hand us in!” Kara begs.

We escaped Dad. But he found us. Is he going to break Kara again? Is he going to take us back?

Tears start to brim in my eyes, my breaths short and quick now.

A soldier starts approaching but people start to crowd around them, holding them back for now.

Kara looks up the Dad, speaking softly.

“When your wife walked out, she took one of your daughters, Allison, leaving Emilia. You couldn’t live without both of them. So, you brought yourself an android. A substitute little girl, a sister for Emilia.”

Dad’s grip eases on Kara’s arm.

“You thought you could love her … that she could make you forget. But nothing could replace Allison, not even Emilia …”

Allison. Part of me forgot she existed. Mom and her left when I was younger, and then Dad came home with Alice. She was more of a sister, more than Allison.

“I just wanted to prove to myself that I was a good father … she was wrong. But I fucked it all up all over again. She was right in the end, I couldn’t even look after one daughter. I didn’t deserve them.” Dad cries. Real tears run down his face now.

“I miss my little girl … both of them …” he says, looking over to me.

I lean into Luther’s side, keeping Alice and my shaking hands hidden from him.

“You don’t know how much I miss my little girls …”

“Is there a problem sir?” the soldier asks, having finally escaped the crowd of angry people.

We all wait, breathless, waiting for Dad to speak – to hand us off.

“No,” Dad says, sniffing hand, letting go of Kara’s arm. “I made a mistake. Sorry.”

The soldier hovers, but nods their head, leaving and moving towards a smaller crowd of more angry people to deal with them.

After a moment, Dad speaks. “Good luck.”

Kara re-joins hands with me and Alice, beginning to walk away from Dad but Alice drops Kara’s, staring at Dad. She slowly approaches him, without fear. Dad knees down as Alice reaches him, both of them hugging. After a moment, Alice lets go, joining hands with Kara again.

I let Kara’s hand go hesitantly, walking up to Dad slowly. He’s sobbing and sniffing more now. I reach across one of my shaking hands, placing it on his shoulders. Dad shrinks in on himself, crying even more, and I feel the tears in my eyes running down my face. Awkwardly, I pull away, joining back with Kara and holding her hand.

What was I doing? I wanted to say goodbye but now I’m crying.

We walk away, leaving Dad kneeling on the floor, crying.

 

At the head of the bus line, a soldier stands guard.

“Got your tickets?” the soldier asks.

“Yes, here they are.” Kara says, handing over the envelope.

The soldier peers inside the envelope and nods. “Ok, go ahead.”

The people behind us grumble and moan as we walk past them, on to the bus. Alice stops on the steps with me behind her, turning around to face Kara and Luther.

“What’s going to happen to that family and their baby?”

Kara glances back behind her, at the family lost in the seas of the crowds and then back at Alice.

“Will they die because of us?”

Kara stands shocked and seemly unable to talk. “No ... No, of course not ...” she says after a moment.

Alice walks through the doors of the bus and up on it. I follow after her, sitting opposite Alice. Luther sits next to Alice, hugging her to his side. Kara sits down next to me and I press into her side. Kara wraps an arm around me and I hide my head into her side, letting out a small sob, just as the bus begins to drive away.


	14. Battle for Detroit part 3 ( Final )

The bus comes to a halt, waking me up. Cars from outside of the bus beep at each other, piled up behind each other for miles, as I peer out of the window. Kara and Luther get up, holding onto mine and Alice's hands as we exit the bus, the last to exit. The cold bits my face, my fingertips becoming frozen. 

"Excuse me, what's going on?" Kara asks a soldier keeping guard.

"Border control, all passengers must leave the bus. Please move along!" the soldier answers as people pass, muttering about how their time is being wasted. We walk to the border doors, the bus driving away. Canada and U.S.A flags fly close to each other in the end, like the how they did back in Pirates Cove. The moon and stars shine brightly as they did back then, the snow coming to a stop. We enter in the border room, multiple lines everywhere, a huge sign above us displaying 'WELCOME TO CANADA'. We join a random line, right at the back. 

An electronic screen flashes with writing, a voice intercome sounding throughout the border room. 

'THERMAL SCANNER CONTROL, We are controlling all passengers to detect androids' presence. Any detected android will be immediately destroyed.'

"All androids are strictly forbidden. If you suspect any passenger of being an android, please contact security."

"They're doing temperature check!" Kara says, concern in her voice, as she looks to Luther. "We're trapped!"

"What are we going to do Kara?" Alice asks, Kara pressing Alice into her side. I cling to Luther, my face pressing into his leg. We're trapped. We're going to die. Kara, Luther, and Alice - they're going to leave me, be destroyed!

"Don't worry Alice, Emilia. We'll be fine."

Luther squeezes my hand in his, and I try to smile, not letting the tears fall. I can see Kara looking around. I follow her gaze, seeing Jerry in another line. I wave to him, and he waves back, his face grimaced a little. I begin to look around more, through the crowds, hoping to see familiar faces. 

"Rose ..." Kara says, and I look over to where Rose is standing, Adam standing with her. She looks over as if hearing her name, making eye contact with Kara. She doesn't get the chance to show any emotions, as their line moves up a bit, Rose looking ahead of her, making sure she doesn't trip. I shy a bathroom over a little. A safe place to talk. I gently pull Kara's sleeve and point to the bathroom. Rose looks over, and sees me pointing to the bathroom. She nods at Kara and we move.

"Wait for me, I won't be long," Kara says to Luther, gently taking mine and Alice's hands as we walk over to the bathroom. A soldier suddenly blocks our path, gun in hand.

"Where the hell do you think you're going?" he accuses, standing threateningly in front of us. Kara clears her throat.

"My daughters need to go to the bathroom," Kara says. The soldier sees us and lets Kara pass. We rush to the bathroom, opening and closing the door rapidly. We're alone.

Kara walks up to the big mirror by the sink, resting her hands against the sink. She looks deep into it, tears falling don her face. She sobs silently, looking down, clenching her eyes shut. She breathes in and out deeply, trying to regain her composure. Alice and I wrap our arms around her waist, hugging her. We all stand in silence, waiting for Rose or some other person to walk in. Luckily it Rose, the door opening and closing behind her quickly. Kara jumps up, Rose taking her into a hug.

"Rose ..."

"Oh my god ..."

They let go off each other, Rose moving to hug me and Alice. "I'm so glad you're safe!" she says, tightly hugging us. She lets go, placing a hand on Kara's arm. "We saw the Jericho raid on TV, I was terrified, I thought you might have been killed!" 

Rose lets go of Kara, and Kara steps closer to Rose, turning her back against us as they talk, quickly and quietly. "Rose ... if anything should happen ..."

"I'll be there Kara," Rose promises, and they turn back, open.

"What's happening with Markus?" Kara asks.

"He's protesting peacefully outside of the androids camps ..." Rose answers. "Whatever happens now, he's already made the history books."

Kara lets close to busting, as more tears rush down her face. "They're checking for androids! ... We won't make it through!" 

Rose reaches out to place her hands on Kara's shoulders, calming her down. "You have to! You know what they'll do if they catch you," she says. Kara sniffs, whipping away her tears, Rose letting go. 

"You're leaving Detroit?"

Rose in turn shakes her head sadly. "They're searching for androids door to door, we had to leave before someone turned us in."

Rose has lost her home now. Just because androids and humans couldn't get along.

"What about the others?" Kara asks, referring to the other androids. 

"They're crossing the river as we speak, Adam and I are gonna meet them on the other side."

Seconds pass as Kara dries her eyes, Rose checking the door behind us in case anyone else enters. 

"You gave me your brother's address," Kara says, tears having dried. "Do you think that I-"

Rose cuts her off, happy for a change. "Of course, he'd be delighted to have you, we're going there too. You'll be safe with him."

Kara reaches across, hanging onto Rose as they hug. They let go after a minute of reassuring themselves, Rose going to hug me and Alice. As she lets go, she dries her tears and flees out of the bathroom, clearly emotional. Oh, Rose, I think trying not to cry again. Kara takes our hands, waiting for a bit, then opening the door, exiting the bathroom. Adam leans against a wall near us. He looks at us, and beings to speak to us. 

"I couldn't understand why my mother wanted to help you guys ..." he beings, much calmer than last time we saw him. We all listen, patiently as he thinks over his words. "But seeing what Markus is doing, made me realize she was right ..." he looks over to Rose standing behind us.

"You're alive, you deserve to be free. I just ... hope people will realize that one day ..." he says, moving back into the line. Rose looks close to crying again, eyes swimming in happiness as she grins, moving after her son. As we move back to our line I see her hug Adam. At least they are closer now.

 

Luther stands even closer to the border office now, just one person in front of him. We join him, gently pushing past the people who grumble at us. Kara looks around, biting her lips, clenching and unclenching her hands, as deciding something. Finally, the person leaves in front, and the border man waves us forward. "Next please."

Sounds and lights are muffed in my ears and vision as we slowly step forward. I grit my teeth, my hands shaking, tears brimming my eyes. 

"ID, please." the border man asks, Kara removing our passports and giving them to the man, her hands shaking. Luther stares down the man as he looks them over, giving them back to Kara. He raises the scanner, a red light flashes out from it. 

Alice tightings her grip in my hand, and I squeeze back. My breathing slows as the scanner bings as soon as hitting Kara, Luther, and Alice. Tears being to rush from my eyes. 

I don't want my family gone.

"Please ..." Kara begs, and the move puts the scanner away, shocked. Kara locks eyes with the man, as she starts begging.

"We just wanna be free ..."

Terror grips into my stomach, making it hurt. I breathe or try to, as the man just keeps looking, only at Kara. He looks up to Luther who stares at him back, and then finally looks up to the TV screen. Markus new coverage is displayed, 'LIVE : PEACEFULL ANDROID MARCH'.

 

 

 

 

"Welcome to Canada." the man says, smiling. Kara breaths and I let my own breath out, Alice squeezing my hand, gently this time. My hands shake, but the felt fabric of my toy fox calms me down a little.

We begin to walk out, all of us in shock, onto Canada soil. Snow falls down gently landing onto the shoulders of my coat. I glaze up to the night sky, and the moon and stars twinkle back as if winking. 

"Thank you," I whisper, to no one, as we walk further away.

Kara knees down to face me and Alice, stopping us. Luther stand over us, watching with a smile, just like a gentle giant. 

"It's over, Alice, Emilia," Kara whispers, gently holding onto our shoulders. "We're free!"

I laugh, throwing my arms around Kara, Alice doing the same, as we hug each other, tightly. 

We're free.

We're free.

We're free!

 

It chants in my head, and I sigh. 

 

"I love you mom." I wishper and I feel Kara freeze, gently pulling us off her. She looks shocked, but smlies, so warmly.

"I love you too, Emilia, Alice."

 

 

 

A family sits on Cananda land, all hugging each other, safe and sound. 

 

At last.


End file.
